Abstract
We conducted hydrographic observations ten times in the Tsushima Strait to reveal seasonal variations of horizontal material transports such as of heat, freshwater, chlorophyll a, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait (ECTS). The volume, freshwater, and heat transport results are of nearly the same order as results reported in previous studies. The annual mean DIN and DIP transports of 3.59 kmol/s and 0.29 kmol/s are large relative to those of the Changjiang and the Taiwan Strait and are horizontally transported through the ECTS. Nutrient transports are high in July–August and October and low in April and November. Increased nutrient transports in July–August and October are due to the appearance of a cold saline water mass in the bottom layer of the ECTS. Changes in DIN transports in summer and autumn, which account for two-thirds of the total annual DIN transport, would have a large effect on the nitrogen budget and biological productivity in the Tsushima Warm Current region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chang, K.-I., W. J. Teague, S. J. Lyu, H. T. Perkins, D.-K. Lee, D. R. Watts, Y.-B. Kim, D. A. Mitchell, C. M. Lee and K. Kim (2004): Circulation and currents in the southwestern East/Japan Sea: Overview and review. Prog. Oceanogr., 61, 105–156.
Chen, C. T. A. (2000): The Three Gorges Dam: Reducing the upwelling and thus productivity in the East China Sea. Geophys. Res. Lett., 27(3), 381–383.
Chen, C. T. A. (2003): Rare northward flow in the Taiwan Strait in winter: a note. Cont. Shelf Res., 23, 387–391.
Chen, C. T. A., L. Y. Hsing, C. L. Liu and S. L. Wang (2004): Degree of nutrient consumption of upwelled water in the Taiwan Strait based on dissolved organic phosphorus or nitrogen. Mar. Chem., 87, 73–86.
Chung, S.-W., S. Jan and K.-K. Liu (2001): Nutrient fluxes through the Taiwan Strait in spring and summer 1999. J. Oceanogr., 57, 47–53.
Gong, G.-C., J. Chang, K.-P. Chiang, T.-M. Hsiung, C.-C. Hung, S.-W. Duan and L. A. Codispoti (2006): Reduction of primary production and changing of nutrient ratio in the East China Sea: Effect of the Three Gorges Dam. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L07610, doi:10.1029/2006CL025800.
Isobe, A. (1997): The determinant of the volume transport distribution of the Tsushima Warm Current around the Tsushima/Korea Straits. Cont. Shelf Res., 17, 319–336.
Isobe, A., S. Tawara, A. Kaneko and M. Kawano (1994): Seasonal variability in the Tsushima Warm Current, Tsushima-Korea Strait. Cont. Shelf Res., 14, 23–35.
Isobe, A., M. Ando, T. Watanabe, T. Senjyu, S. Sugihara and A. Manda (2002): Freshwater and temperature transports through the Tsushima-Korea Straits. J. Geophys. Res., 107(C7), 3065, doi:10.1029/2000JC000702.
Jiao, N. Z., Y. Zhang, Y. Zeng, W. D. Gardner, A. V. Mishonov, M. J. Richardson, N. Hong, D. Pan, X.-H. Yan, Y.-H. Jo, C. T. A. Chen, P. Wang, Y. Chen, H. Hong, Y. Bai, X. Chen, B. Huang, H. Deng, Y. Shi and D. Yang (2007): Ecological anomalies in the East China Sea: Impacts of the Tree Gorges Dam? Water Res., 41, 1287–1293.
Maruyama, N., N. Hirose and J.-H. Yoon (2003): Numerical experiments on the mechanism of the southwestward countercurrent east of the Tsushima Islands. Eng. Sci. Rep., Kyushu Univ., 25, 279–284 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Matsuno, T., J.-S. Lee, M. Shimizu, S.-H. Kim and I.-C. Pang (2006): Measurements of the turbulent energy dissipation rate ε and an evaluation of the dispersion process of the Changjiang Diluted Water in the East China Sea. J. Geophys. Res., 111, C11S09, doi:10.1029/2005JC003196.
Morimoto, A., T. Yanagi and A. Kaneko (2000): Eddy field in the Japan Sea derived from satellite altimetric data. J. Oceanogr., 56, 449–462.
Morimoto, A., G. Onitsuka, T. Takikawa, T. Matsuda, T. Senjyu, Y. Mino, S. Mizutani, Y. Kon and K. Hata (2005): Chlorophyll a distribution around Tsushima/Korea Strait in early winter. Proc. of the Indonesia Ocean Forum 2005 and the 13th PAMS/JECSS Symposium, Studies of the Tsushima Current, CD-ROM.
Onitsuka, G., T. Yanagi and J.-H. Yoon (2007): A numerical study on nutrient sources in the surface layer of the Japan Sea using a coupled physical-ecosystem model. J. Geophys. Res., 112, C05042, doi:10.1029/2006JC003981.
Redfield, A. C., B. H. Ketchum and F. A. Richards (1963): The influence of organisms on the composition of seawater. p. 26–77. In The Sea, Vol. 2, ed. by M. N. Hill, Wiley-Interscience, New York.
Senjyu, T., H. Enomoto, T. Matsuno and S. Matsui (2006): Interannual salinity variations in the Tsushima Strait and its relation to the Changjiang Discharge. J. Oceanogr., 62, 681–692.
Senjyu, T., S. Matsui, I.-S. Han and T. Takikawa (2007): Temperature and freshwater transport from the East China Sea to the Japan Sea. Umi to Sora, 83, 47–54 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Takahashi, M., J. Ishizaka, T. Ishimaru, L. P. Atkinson, T. N. Lee, Y. Yamaguchi, Y. Fujita and S. Ichimura (1986): Temporal change in nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton biomass in short time scale local upwelling around the Izu Peninsula, Japan. J. Plankton Res., 8, 1039–1049.
Takikawa, T. and J.-H. Yoon (2005): Volume transport through the Tsushima Straits estimated from sea level difference. J. Oceanogr., 61, 699–708.
Takikawa, T., J.-H. Yoon and K.-D. Cho (2003): Tidal current in the Tsushima Straits estimated from ADCP data by ferryboat. J. Oceanogr., 59, 37–47.
Takikawa, T., J.-H. Yoon and K.-D. Cho (2005): The Tsushima Warm Current through Tsushima Straits estimated from Ferryboat ADCP data. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 35, 1154–1168.
Takikawa, T., A. Morimoto, G. Onitsuka, A. Watanabe and M. Moku (2008): Characteristics of water mass under the surface mixed layer in Tsushima Straits in autumn. J. Oceanogr., 64, 585–594.
Teague, W. J., G. A. Jacobs, H. T. Perkins and J. W. Book (2002): Low-frequency current observations in the Korea-Tsushima Strait. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 32, 1621–1641.
Toba, Y., H. Kawamura, F. Yamashita and K. Hanawa (1984): Structure of horizontal turbulence in the Japan Sea. p. 317–332. In Ocean Hydrodynamics of the Japan and East China Seas, ed. by T. Ichiye, Elsevier.
Watanabe, A., A. Morimoto, T. Takikawa and G. Onitsuka (2008): Summertime pCO2 variability associated with freshwater flux in the Tsushima Warm Current in 2005–2006. Geophys. Res. Lett. (submitted).
Yanagi, T (2002): Water, salt, phosphorus and nitrogen budgets of the Japan Sea. J. Oceanogr., 58, 797–804.
Yoshikawa, Y., A. Masuda, K. Marubayashi, M. Ishibashi and A. Okuno (2006): On the accuracy of HF radar measurement in the Tsushima Strait. J. Geophys. Res., 111, C04009, doi:10.1029/2005JC003232.
Zhang, J. (1996): Nutrient elements in large Chinese estuaries. Cont. Shelf Res., 16, 1023–1045.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morimoto, A., Takikawa, T., Onitsuka, G. et al. Seasonal variation of horizontal material transport through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits. J Oceanogr 65, 61–71 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-009-0006-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-009-0006-z