Tidal and Sub-tidal Current Characteristics in the Kangjin Bay, South Sea, Korea

Abstract

This study analyzed the current meter records along with wind records for over 500 days obtained in the Kangjin Bay, South Sea, Korea spanning from March, 2003 to Nov. 2005. Various analyses include descriptive statistics, harmonic analysis of tidal constituents, spectra and coherence, the principal axis, progressive vector diagrams. These analyses can illustrate the response of residual current to the local wind resulting in the net drift with rotational motion. Current speed ranges from -28 to 33 (cm/sec), with standard deviations from 6.5 to 12.9 (cm/sec). The harmonic analyses of the tidal current show the average form number, 0.12 with semi-diurnal type and the recti-linear orientation of the major axis toward northeast. The magnitudes of the semi-major range from 12.7 to 17.7 (cm/sec) for M2 harmonics, while for S2 harmonics, they range from 6.3 to 10.4 (cm/sec), respectively. In the spectral and coherency analysis of residual current and wind, a periodicity of 13.6 (day) is found to be most important in both records and plays an important role in the net drift of residual current. The progressive vector diagrams of residual current and wind show two types of behaviors such as unidirectional drift and rotational motion. It was also found that 3 % rule holds approximately to drive 1 (cm/sec) drift current by 30 (cm/sec) wind speed based on the correlation of the semimajor axis of wind and residual current.