Unprecedented coastal upwelling in the southern coast of the Korean peninsula during summer 2013

Abstract

<p>Unprecedented coastal upwelling in the southern coast of the Korean peninsula was reported in the summer of 2013. The offshore water temperature was 2℃ higher than that of climate (10-year mean) due to the hot summer in 2013. However, the water temperature at the coastal region was 2℃ lower. The upwelling continued for a month despite of weakening of upwelling-favorable wind. In this study, observational data and numerical model results were analyzed to investigate what caused the upwelling and sustained it for a long time. The upwelling was induced by upwelling-favorable wind in July. Coastal upwelling resulted in dynamic uplift of bottom cold water due to geostrophic adjustment. The dynamic uplift decreased sea level in the coastal region. The sea level difference between coastal and offshore regions resulted in an intensified cross-shore pressure gradient which induced geostrophic current accompanied by geostrophic adjustment along the coast. This positive feedback between dynamic uplift and geostrophic adjustment sustained the coastal upwelling for a long time regardless of upwelling-favorable wind.</p>