Energetics of the surface circulation of the Japan/East Sea

Abstract

During the period of August 1987 to June 1998, 96 Argos-tracked drifters traversed through the Japan/East Sea. The displacement data from these drifters were used to compute 1-3 day average current vectors, which described the circulation at 15 m depth. The drifters that passed through the Korea Strait via the western channel were caught by the East Korean Warm Current, and the drifters that passed through the eastern channel were caught by the Tsushima Current. Individual observations of the 3 day average current over 40 cm s(-1) were made in the warm waters south of the subpolar front and along the coasts, There was a distinct decrease of eddy energy northward across the subpolar front. Conversion rates of eddy kinetic energy due to eddy mean flow interaction showed significant regions of both dissipation and production.