Water characteristics and movements of the Yellow Sea Warm Current in summer

Abstract

Water characteristics of the Yellow Sea Warm Current and its movement in summer are examined from the analysis of the recent hydrographic data collected in adjacent seas of Cheju Island. It is suggested that the Yellow Sea Warm Current water in the northeastern China Sea is a mixture of Western North Pacific Central Water and the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water in the ratio of 7 to 3. It is characterized by salinities of 34.2 < S < 34.5% and temperatures of 13 < T < 15°C at depths below 50 m. The Yellow Sea Warm Current does not seem to extend into the Yellow Sea as previously believed, at least in summer, but instead it turns eastward around Cheju.