SEASONAL VARIABILITY IN THE TSUSHIMA WARM CURRENT, TSUSHIMA-KOREA STRAIT

To study seasonal variability in the Tsushima Warm Current, flowing to the northeast in the Tsushima-Korea Strait, ADCP surveys were undertaken about every 2 months from 1990 to 1991. The survey line extended from Kawajiri-misaki, Japan, to some 30 km off Ulsan, Korea. The tidal current component was removed from raw ADCP data to understand the regional residual current. The total volume transport towards the northeast, across the Strait, was at a maximum of 5.6 Sv (1 SV = 1 X 10(6) m3 s-1), in September. Total volume transports were around 1.0 Sv during the other months. Seasonal variability in the current structure across the Strait has also been investigated. The intensified core of the northeasterly current formed near the Korean coast-in September. This resulted in the maximum total volume transport in the same month.