Analysis of Yellow Sea circulation

Some features of the circulation in the Yellow Sea (hereafter referred to as YS) in the cold season (mid- November through mid-April) are analyzed emphatically by using the observations of several large-scale surveys in recent years together with historical data. Compared with the previous studies, a wealth of observed data have firstly been used in this study to further discuss the origin and path of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC). The analyses show that the YSWC is not a direct branch of the Tsushima Warm Current (TSWC), but derives from the mixed water region formed by TSWC water and the continental shelf water of the East China Sea (ECS). The path of the YSWC has certain seasonal and interannual variations. Then, the basic features of the Cheju Warm Current (CWC) discovered in recent years and its relation to the YSWC are expounded. The studies indicate that the CWC and the YSWC come basically from the same origin, and the main path of CWC is located roughly in water depths of greater than 80 m northwest of Chejudo. At last, the distribution features of the Korea Coastal Current (KCC) are delineated according to the new observations. The results show that the KCC moves toward south along the 40-50 m isobaths west of the Korean Peninsula, and its velocity increases from north to south.