Temporal and Spatial Variations of Sea Surface Temperature in Jinju Bay in the South Coast of Korea

Abstract

Temporal and spatial variations of surface water temperature in Jinju Bay for the period of 2010~2011 were studied using the data from temperature monitoring buoys deployed at 17 stations in the south coast of Korea. Water temperature shows the maximum late in January and the minimum early in August. Seasonal variation of water temperatures at the north part of the bay is smaller than the middle and the south. In summer, the lowest and the highest of maximum water temperature are distributed around Jijok Channel which is located at the south of the bay. The fluctuations of water temperatures at Noryang and Daebang Channel are smaller than others because of vertical mixing caused by passage of strong tidal currents. Wind and strong currents affect on the stratification of the surface water layer near Daebang Channel. High temperatures come in frequently around the north area when eastward constant flows appear at neap tide as blowing westerly in the springtime at Noryang Channel. Spectral analyses of temperature records show significant peaks at 7~20 day periods at Noryang Channel, 7~20 day and semidiurnal at the west coast of Changsun Island and Jijok Channel and 7~20 day and diurnal at the middle of the bay. Temperature fluctuation at Noryang Channel shows high coherence and has leading phase with those at other stations in the bay. However, the phase of temperature fluctuation at Noryang Channel falls behind that at Daebang Channel. Daebang Channel has an influence on the temperature fluctuation only at the west and middle part of the bay. Cross-correlation analyses for the temperature fluctuation show that Jinju Bay could be classified into six areas; Noryang Channel, the area of convergence and divergence at the north, Daebang Channel, the west coast of Changsun Island, the mixing area at the middle of the bay and the south inside of the bay, respectively.