Late Quaternary Paleoceanography of the Japan Sea: An Update.

Abstract

Because the Japan Sea is a semi-enclosed marginal sea surrounded by a continent and an island arc, its oceanographic condition during late Quaternary has been influenced by many factors including climate in central to east Asia and Japan, oceanographic condition of northwestern Pacific, and glacioeustatic sea level changes. Consequently, its sedimentary record is complicated and difficult to interpret. However, the record preserves a wealth of information both terrestrial and marine, and is suited for linking the terrestrial climate in central to east Asia and the oceanography of the Japan Sea and surrounding oceans. Recent progress revealed intimate linkage between the Asian climate and the Japan Sea paleoceanography on millennial time-scale.