TRANSPORTS

Transport variations through the Korea-Tsushima Strait are examined.  An optimal interpolation (OI) scheme is used to interpolate the data spatially and to provide error estimates along each section.  The strong northeastward current core through the southern section lies approximately in the center of the strait, and small southwestward flows occur sporadically near both the Korea and Japan coasts.  Much of the flow through the northern line occurs near the Korea and Japan coasts with a weak southwestward mean flow and large variability in the strait center on the lee side of the Tsushima Island.  The estimated mean transport is 2.8 Sverdrups (Sv) through the southern line and 2.4 Sv through the northern line.  However, the northern line does not extend close to the Korea coast where there is significant flow. Expected errors in the transport estimates at any time are about 0.5 Sv RMS for each mooring line.

Mean Transport
Transport Time Series