Current Structure and Volume Transport in the Jeju Strait Observed for a Year with Multiple ADCP Moorings

Abstract

The seasonal and spatial variation of the current structure and volume transport across the Jeju Strait (JS) is described based on an analysis of the data from five bottom mounted acoustic Doppler current profilers from February 13, 2020 to February 23, 2021. The current was weak and the mixed layer was well developed in winter, so the vertical current shear was not large. Whereas in summer, the inflow of high-temperature and low-salinity surface water built up the stratification, and the surface current velocity increased, resulting in a large vertical current shear. One salient feature to be found was that a westward flowing counter current in the lower layer appeared from June to December near the bottom trough of the JS. We named this seasonal counter current in the lower layer the Jeju Strait Under Current. The eastward net volume transport passing through the JS was large in summer-autumn and small in winter-spring, but did not follow a simple sinusoidal pattern. The annual mean net volume transport was 0.48 Sv (Sv equivalent to 10(6) m(3) s(-1)), with a minimum (0.27 Sv) in December and a maximum (0.79 Sv) in October 2020. When there were strong northerly winds in winter, a net volume transport to the west was temporarily caused by Ekman transport, but the direction reverted to the east as soon as the northerly winds lessened. When there were strong northwesterly (southeasterly) winds due to typhoons, the volume transport decreased (increased) sharply and then recovered rapidly.