Currents in Korea‐Tsushima Strait during summer 1999

Abstract

Results are presented from continuous current measurements across Korea‐Tsushima Strait between May and October 1999. The data are from eleven bottom‐mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers that recorded full‐depth profiles of currents along two lines, one at each end of the Strait. The two sections show markedly different mean flow regimes. At the southern entrance, the cross‐section flow varies smoothly across the channel, showing a broad maximum at mid‐channel. The northern section is marked by strong spatial variability but in the mean consists of two streams, one on each side of the strait. Between the two is a regime of highly variable flow with a weak mean, presumably indicating the wake from Tsushima Island. Flow variability in time is described by statistical measures and by representative snapshots.