Currents of the Sea of Japan They are distinguished by a noticeable variety of regimes, which determines the formation of mixed warm-water and temperate flora and fauna on the shores of the sea, despite quite clear zonal differences between the northwestern and southeastern parts of its water area.
general characteristics
In general, surface currents in the sea are cyclonic in nature and directed counterclockwise. The warm vector, represented by the Tsushima Current, moves along the island. Honshu to the north. The cold current comes from the Tartary Strait and passes along the coast of the mainland to the south. Each of them has large and small branches. In addition, in the inner part of the water area, up to five mixed circulation zones are distinguished, which are large whirlpools. Currents, divided into cold and warm, have the following names:
Peculiarities
Notes
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Currents of the Sea of Japan They are distinguished by a noticeable variety of regimes, which determines the formation of mixed warm-water and temperate flora and fauna on the shores of the sea, despite quite clear zonal differences between the northwestern and southeastern parts of its water area.
general characteristics
In general, surface currents in the sea are cyclonic in nature and directed counterclockwise. The warm vector, represented by the Tsushima Current, moves along the island. Honshu to the north. The cold current comes from the Tartary Strait and passes along the coast of the mainland to the south. Each of them has large and small branches. In addition, in the inner part of the water area, up to five mixed circulation zones are distinguished, which are large whirlpools. Currents, divided into cold and warm, have the following names:
Peculiarities
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An excerpt characterizing the Currents of the Sea of Japan
Soon after the return of Prince Andrei, the old prince separated his son and gave him Bogucharovo, a large estate located 40 miles from Bald Mountains. Partly because of the difficult memories associated with Bald Mountains, partly because Prince Andrei did not always feel able to bear his father’s character, and partly because he needed solitude, Prince Andrei took advantage of Bogucharov, built there and spent most of his time there. time.Prince Andrei, after the Austerlitz campaign, firmly decided never to serve in military service again; and when the war began, and everyone had to serve, he, in order to get rid of active service, accepted a position under his father in collecting the militia. The old prince and his son seemed to change roles after the 1805 campaign. The old prince, excited by the activity, expected all the best from the real campaign; Prince Andrei, on the contrary, not participating in the war and secretly regretting it in his soul, saw only one bad thing.
On February 26, 1807, the old prince left for the district. Prince Andrei, as for the most part during his father’s absences, remained in Bald Mountains. Little Nikolushka had been unwell for the 4th day. The coachmen who drove the old prince returned from the city and brought papers and letters to Prince Andrei.
The valet with letters, not finding the young prince in his office, went to Princess Marya’s half; but he wasn’t there either. The valet was told that the prince had gone to the nursery.
“Please, your Excellency, Petrusha has come with the papers,” said one of the nanny’s girls, turning to Prince Andrei, who was sitting on a small children’s chair and with trembling hands, frowning, dripping medicine from a glass into a glass half filled with water.
- What's happened? - he said angrily, and carelessly shaking his hand, he poured an extra amount of drops from the glass into the glass. He threw the medicine out of the glass onto the floor and asked for water again. The girl handed it to him.
In the room there was a crib, two chests, two armchairs, a table and a children's table and chair, the one on which Prince Andrei was sitting. The windows were curtained, and one candle was burning on the table, covered with a bound book of music, so that the light would not fall on the crib.
“My friend,” Princess Marya said, turning to her brother from the crib where she stood, “it’s better to wait... after...
“Oh, do me a favor, you keep talking nonsense, you’ve been waiting for everything - so you’ve waited,” said Prince Andrei in an embittered whisper, apparently wanting to prick his sister.
“My friend, it’s better not to wake him up, he fell asleep,” the princess said in a pleading voice.
Prince Andrei stood up and, on tiptoe, approached the crib with a glass.
– Or definitely not to wake you up? – he said hesitantly.
“As you wish, right... I think... as you wish,” said Princess Marya, apparently timid and ashamed that her opinion had triumphed. She pointed out to her brother the girl who was calling him in a whisper.
The Sea of Japan lies between the continent of Asia, the Korean Peninsula, and Sakhalin and the Japanese islands, separating it from the ocean and two neighboring seas. In the north, the border between the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk runs along the line between Cape Sushchev and Cape Tyk on Sakhalin. In the La Perouse Strait, the border is the line between Cape Soya and Cape Crillon. In the Sangar Strait, the border runs along the line of Cape Syria - Cape Estan, and in the Korea Strait - along the line of Cape Nomo (Kyushu Island) - Cape Fukae (Goto Island) - Island. Jeju - Korean Peninsula.
The Sea of Japan is one of the largest and deepest seas in the world. Its area is 1062 km 2, volume - 1631 thousand km 3, average depth - 1536 m, greatest depth - 3699 m. This is a marginal oceanic sea.
There are no large islands in the Sea of Japan. Of the small ones, the most significant are the islands of Moneron, Rishiri, Okushiri, Ojima, Sado, Okinoshima, Ullyndo, Askold, Russky, and Putyatina. Tsushima Island is located in the Korea Strait. All islands (except Ulleungdo) are located near the coast. Most of them are located in the eastern part of the sea.
The coastline of the Sea of Japan is relatively slightly indented. The simplest in outline is the coast of Sakhalin, the more winding shores of Primorye and Japanese Islands. The large bays of the mainland coast include De-Kastri, Sovetskaya Gavan, Vladimir, Olga, Peter the Great, Posyet, Koreysky, on the island. Hokkaido - Ishikari, on the island. Honshu - Toyama and Wakasa.
Landscapes of the Sea of Japan
The coastal boundaries are cut through by straits that connect the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk and the East China Sea. The straits vary in length, width and, most importantly, depth, which determines the nature of water exchange in the Sea of Japan. Through the Sangar Strait, the Sea of Japan communicates directly with the Pacific Ocean. The depth of the strait in the western part is about 130 m, in the eastern part, where its maximum depths are located, about 400 m. The Nevelskoy and La Perouse straits connect the Japanese and Sea of Okhotsk. The Korea Strait, divided by the islands of Jeju, Tsushima and Ikizuki into the western (Broughton passage with the greatest depth of about 12.5 m) and eastern (Kruzenshtern passage with the greatest depth of about 110 m) parts, connects the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. The Shimonoseki Strait, with depths of 2-3 m, connects the Sea of Japan with the Inland Sea of Japan. Due to the shallow depths of the straits at great depths the sea itself creates conditions for isolating its deep waters from the Pacific Ocean and adjacent seas, which is the most important natural feature of the Sea of Japan.
The coast of the Sea of Japan, varied in structure and external forms in different areas, belongs to different morphometric types of coasts. These are predominantly abrasive, mostly unaltered, shores. To a lesser extent, the Sea of Japan is characterized by accumulative shores. This sea is surrounded by predominantly mountainous shores. In some places, single rocks - kekurs - characteristic formations of the Sea of Japan coast rise from the water. Low-lying shores are found only on certain sections of the coast.
Bottom relief
Bottom topography and currents of the Sea of Japan
According to the nature of the bottom topography, the Sea of Japan is divided into three parts: northern - north of 44° N, central - between 40 and 44° N. and southern - south of 40° N.
The northern part of the sea is like a wide trench, gradually rising and narrowing towards the north. Its bottom in the direction from north to south forms three steps, which are separated from one another by clearly defined ledges. The northern step is located at a depth of 900-1400 m, the middle one is at a depth of 1700-2000 m, and the southern step is at a depth of 2300-2600 m. The surfaces of the steps are slightly inclined to the south.
The coastal sandbank of Primorye in the northern part of the sea is approximately 20 to 50 km long, the edge of the sandbank is located at a depth of about 200 m.
The surfaces of the northern and middle steps of the central trough are more or less level. The relief of the southern step is significantly complicated by numerous individual uplifts up to 500 m high. Here, on the edge of the southern step, at a latitude of 44°, there is a vast hill called “Vityaz” with a minimum depth above it of 1086 m.
The southern step of the northern part of the Sea of Japan breaks off with a steep ledge to the bottom of the central basin. The steepness of the ledge is on average 10-12°, in some places 25-30°, and the height is approximately 800-900 m.
The central part of the sea is a deep closed basin, slightly elongated in the east-northeast direction. From the west, north and east it is limited by the steep slopes of mountain structures sloping into the sea in Primorye, the Korean Peninsula, the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, and from the south by the slopes of the Yamato underwater hill.
In the central part of the sea, coastal shallows are very poorly developed. A relatively wide sandbank is located only in the area southern Primorye. The edge of the shallows in the central part of the sea is very clearly expressed throughout its entire length. The bottom of the basin, located at a depth of about 3500 m, in contrast to the complexly dissected surrounding slopes, is leveled. On the surface of this plain there are isolated hills. Approximately in the center of the basin there is an underwater ridge stretching from north to south with a height of up to 2300 m. The southern part of the sea has a very complex topography, since in this area there are the marginal parts of large mountain systems - the Kuril-Kamchatka, Japanese and Ryu-Kyu. Here is the vast underwater Yamato Rise, which consists of two ridges elongated in the east-northeast direction with a closed basin located between them. From the south, a wide underwater ridge of approximately meridional strike adjoins the Yamato Rise.
In many areas of the southern part of the sea, the structure of the underwater slope is complicated by the presence of underwater ridges. On the underwater slope of the Korean Peninsula, wide underwater valleys can be traced between the ridges. The continental shelf is no more than 40 km wide throughout almost its entire length. In the area of the Korea Strait, the shallows of the Korean Peninsula and about. The Honshu close together and form shallow waters with depths of no more than 150 m.
Climate
The Sea of Japan lies entirely in the monsoon climate zone of temperate latitudes. In the cold season (from October to March) it is influenced by the Siberian anticyclone and the Aleutian low, which is associated with significant horizontal gradients of atmospheric pressure. In this regard, strong northwest winds with speeds of 12-15 m/s and more dominate over the sea. Local conditions change wind conditions. In some areas, under the influence of coastal topography, there is a high frequency of northern winds, in others, calms are often observed. On the southeast coast, the regularity of the monsoon is disrupted; western and northwestern winds predominate here.
During the cold season, continental cyclones enter the Sea of Japan. They cause strong storms, and sometimes severe hurricanes, which last for 2-3 days. At the beginning of autumn (September), tropical cyclones-typhoons sweep over the sea, accompanied by hurricane winds.
The winter monsoon brings dry and cold air to the Sea of Japan, the temperature of which increases from south to north and from west to east. In the coldest months - January and February - the average monthly air temperature in the north is about -20°, and in the south about 5°, although significant deviations from these values are often observed. During the cold seasons, the weather is dry and clear in the northwestern part of the sea, wet and cloudy in the southeast.
In warm seasons, the Sea of Japan is affected by the Hawaiian High and, to a lesser extent, by the depression formed in the summer over Eastern Siberia. In this regard, southern and southwestern winds prevail over the sea. However, pressure gradients between areas of high and low pressure are relatively small, so wind speeds average 2-7 m/s. A significant increase in wind is associated with the entry of oceanic, and less often continental, cyclones into the sea. In summer and early autumn (July-October), the number of typhoons over the sea increases (with a maximum in September), causing hurricane-force winds. In addition to the summer monsoon, strong and hurricane winds associated with the passage of cyclones and typhoons, local winds are observed in different areas of the sea. They are mainly caused by the peculiarities of coastal orography and are most noticeable in the coastal zone.
In the Far Eastern seas
The summer monsoon brings warm and humid air. Average monthly temperature the warmest month - August - in the northern part of the sea is approximately 15°, and in the southern regions about 25°. In the northwestern part of the sea, significant cooling is observed due to the influx of cold air brought by continental cyclones. In spring and summer, cloudy weather with frequent fogs prevails.
A distinctive feature of the Sea of Japan is the relatively small number of rivers flowing into it. The largest of them is Suchan. Almost all rivers are mountainous. Continental flow into the Sea of Japan is approximately 210 km 3 /year and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. Only in July does the river flow increase slightly.
The geographical location, the outlines of the sea basin, separated from the Pacific Ocean and adjacent seas by high thresholds in the straits, pronounced monsoons, water exchange through the straits only in the upper layers are the main factors in the formation of the hydrological conditions of the Sea of Japan.
The Sea of Japan receives a large amount of heat from the sun. However, the total heat consumption for effective radiation and evaporation exceeds the supply of solar heat, therefore, as a result of processes occurring at the water-air interface, the sea loses heat annually. It is replenished by the heat brought by Pacific waters entering the sea through the straits, therefore, on the average long-term value, the sea is in a state of thermal equilibrium. This indicates the important role of water heat exchange, mainly heat influx from outside.
Hydrology
Significant natural factors are the exchange of water through the straits, the flow of precipitation onto the sea surface and evaporation. The main influx of water into the Sea of Japan occurs through the Korea Strait - about 97% of the total annual amount of incoming water. The largest flow of water goes through the Sangar Strait - 64% of the total flow; 34% flows through the La Perouse and Korean straits. The share of fresh components of the water balance (continental runoff, precipitation) remains only about 1%. Thus, the main role in the water balance of the sea is played by water exchange through the straits.
Scheme of water exchange through straits in the Sea of Japan
Features of the bottom topography, water exchange through the straits, and climatic conditions form the main features of the hydrological structure of the Sea of Japan. It is similar to the subarctic type of structure of the adjacent areas of the Pacific Ocean, but has its own characteristics that have developed under the influence of local conditions.
The entire thickness of its waters is divided into two zones: surface - to a depth of an average of 200 m and deep - from 200 m to the bottom. The waters of the deep zone are relatively uniform in physical properties throughout the year. The characteristics of surface water under the influence of climatic and hydrological factors change in time and space much more intensely.
In the Sea of Japan, three water masses are distinguished: two in the surface zone: the surface Pacific, characteristic of the southeastern part of the sea, and the surface Sea of Japan - for the northwestern part of the sea, and one in the deep part - the deep Sea of Japan water mass.
The surface Pacific water mass is formed by the water of the Tsushima Current; it has the largest volume in the south and southeast of the sea. As you move north, its thickness and area of distribution gradually decrease, and at approximately 48° N latitude. due to a sharp decrease in depth, it wedges out into shallow water. In winter, when the Tsushima Current weakens, the northern boundary of the Pacific waters is located at approximately 46-47° N latitude.
Water temperature and salinity
Surface Pacific water is characterized by high temperatures (about 15-20°) and salinity (34-34.5‰). This water mass contains several layers, the hydrological characteristics of which and their thickness vary throughout the year:
the surface layer, where the temperature throughout the year varies from 10 to 25°, and salinity - from 33.5 to 34.5‰. The thickness of the surface layer varies from 10 to 100 m;
the upper intermediate layer has a thickness varying from 50 to 150 m. It exhibits significant gradients in temperature, salinity and density;
the lower layer has a thickness of 100 to 150 m. The depth of its occurrence and the boundaries of its distribution change throughout the year; temperature varies from 4 to 12°, salinity - from 34 to 34.2‰. The lower intermediate layer has very slight vertical gradients in temperature, salinity and density. It separates the surface Pacific water mass from the deep Sea of Japan.
As you move north, the characteristics of Pacific water gradually change under the influence of climatic factors as a result of its mixing with the underlying deep Sea of Japan water. With the cooling and desalination of Pacific water at latitudes 46-48° N. The surface water mass of the Sea of Japan is formed. It is characterized by relatively low temperature (on average about 5-8°) and salinity (32.5-33.5‰). The entire thickness of this water mass is divided into three layers: surface, intermediate and deep. As in the Pacific Ocean, in the surface water of the Japanese Sea, the greatest changes in hydrological characteristics occur in the surface layer with a thickness of 10 to 150 m or more. The temperature here varies throughout the year from 0 to 21°, salinity - from 32 to 34‰. In the intermediate and deep layers, seasonal changes in hydrological characteristics are insignificant.
Deep Sea of Japan water is formed as a result of the transformation of surface waters that descend to depths due to the process of winter convection. The vertical changes in the characteristics of the deep Sea of Japan water are extremely small. The bulk of these waters have a temperature of 0.1-0.2° in winter, 0.3-0.5° in summer, and a salinity throughout the year of 34.1-34.15‰.
Water temperature on the surface of the seas of Japan, Yellow, East China, South China, Philippines, Sulu, Sulawesi in summer
The structural features of the waters of the Sea of Japan are well illustrated by the distribution of oceanological characteristics in it. Surface water temperatures generally increase from northwest to southeast.
In winter, the water temperature on the surface rises from negative values close to 0° in the north and northwest to 10-14° in the south and southeast. This season is characterized by a well-defined contrast in water temperature between the western and eastern parts of the sea, and in the south it is weaker than in the north and central part of the sea. Thus, at the latitude of Peter the Great Bay, the water temperature in the west is close to 0°, and in the east it reaches 5-6°. This is explained, in particular, by the influence of warm waters moving from south to north in the eastern part of the sea.
As a result of spring warming, the surface water temperature throughout the sea rises quite quickly. At this time, temperature differences between the western and eastern parts of the sea begin to smooth out.
In summer, the surface water temperature rises from 18-20° in the north to 25-27° in the south of the sea. Temperature differences across latitude are relatively small.
On the western shores, the surface water temperature is 1-2° lower than on the eastern shores, where warm waters spread from south to north.
In winter, in the northern and northwestern regions of the sea, the vertical water temperature changes slightly, and its values are close to 0.2-0.4°. In the central, southern and southeastern parts of the sea, the change in water temperature with depth is more pronounced. In general, the surface temperature, equal to 8-10°, remains up to horizons of 100-150 m, from which it gradually decreases with depth to approximately 2-4° at horizons of 200-250 m, then it decreases very slowly - to 1-1. 5° at horizons of 400-500 m, deeper the temperature drops slightly (to values less than 1°) and remains approximately the same to the bottom.
In summer, in the north and northwest of the sea, high surface temperature (18-20°) is observed in the 0-15 m layer, from here it drops sharply with a depth of up to 4° at a horizon of 50 m, then its decrease occurs very slowly to a horizon of 250 m, where it is approximately 1°, deeper and to the bottom the temperature does not exceed 1°.
In the central and southern parts of the sea, the temperature decreases quite smoothly with depth and at a horizon of 200 m is approximately 6°, from here it decreases somewhat faster and at horizons of 250-260 m it is equal to 1.5-2°, then it decreases very slowly at horizons 750-1500 m (in some areas at horizons of 1000-1500 m) reaches a minimum of 0.04-0.14°, from here the temperature rises towards the bottom to 0.3°. The formation of an intermediate layer of minimum temperature values is presumably associated with the immersion of the waters of the northern part of the sea, cooled during severe winters. This layer is quite stable and is observed all year round.
Salinity on the surface of the seas of Japan, Yellow, East China, South China, Philippines, Sulu, Sulawesi in summer
The average salinity of the Sea of Japan, approximately 34.1‰, is slightly lower than the average salinity of the waters of the World Ocean.
In winter, the highest salinity of the surface layer (about 34.5‰) is observed in the south. The lowest surface salinity (about 33.8‰) is observed along the southeastern and southwestern coasts, where heavy precipitation causes some desalination. In most of the sea, salinity is 34.l‰. In spring, in the north and northwest, desalination of surface water occurs due to melting ice, and in other areas it is associated with an increase in precipitation. Salinity remains relatively high (34.6-34.7‰) in the south, where at this time the influx of saltier waters entering through the Korea Strait increases. In summer, the average salinity on the surface varies from 32.5‰ in the north of the Tatar Strait to 34.5‰ off the coast of the island. Honshu.
In the central and southern regions of the sea, precipitation significantly exceeds evaporation, which leads to desalination of surface waters. By autumn, the amount of precipitation decreases, the sea begins to cool, and therefore the salinity on the surface increases.
The vertical variation of salinity is generally characterized by small changes in its values along the depth.
In winter, most of the sea experiences a uniform salinity from surface to bottom, equal to approximately 34.1‰. Only in coastal waters is there a weakly expressed minimum salinity in the surface horizons, below which the salinity increases slightly and remains almost the same to the bottom. At this time of year, vertical changes in salinity in most of the sea do not exceed 0.6-0.7‰, and in its central part they do not reach
Spring-summer desalination of surface waters forms the main features of the summer vertical distribution of salinity.
In summer, minimal salinity is observed on the surface as a result of noticeable desalination of surface waters. In subsurface layers, salinity increases with depth, creating noticeable vertical salinity gradients. The maximum salinity at this time is observed at horizons of 50-100 m in the northern regions and at horizons of 500-1500 m in the southern regions. Below these layers, salinity decreases slightly and remains almost unchanged to the bottom, remaining within the range of 33.9-34.1‰. In summer, the salinity of deep waters is 0.1‰ less than in winter.
Water circulation and currents
The density of water in the Sea of Japan depends mainly on temperature. The highest density is observed in winter, and the lowest in summer. In the northwestern part of the sea the density is higher than in the southern and southeastern parts.
In winter, the surface density is quite uniform throughout the sea, especially in its northwestern part.
In spring, the uniformity of surface density values is disrupted due to different heating of the upper layer of water.
In summer, horizontal differences in surface density values are greatest. They are especially significant in the area of mixing waters with different characteristics. In winter, the density is approximately the same from surface to bottom in the northwestern part of the sea. In the southeastern regions, the density increases slightly at horizons of 50-100 m; deeper and to the bottom it increases very slightly. The maximum density is observed in March.
In summer in the northwest, the waters are noticeably interlayered in density. It is small on the surface, rises sharply at horizons of 50-100 m and increases more gradually deeper to the bottom. In the southwestern part of the sea, the density increases noticeably in the subsurface (up to 50 m) layers, at horizons of 100-150 m it is quite uniform, below the density increases slightly to the bottom. This transition occurs at horizons of 150-200 m in the northwest and at horizons of 300-400 m in the southeast of the sea.
In autumn, the density begins to level out, which means a transition to a winter type of density distribution with depth. Spring-summer density stratification determines a fairly stable state of the waters of the Sea of Japan, although it is expressed to varying degrees in different areas. In accordance with this, more or less favorable preconditions are created in the sea for the emergence and development of mixing.
Due to the predominance of winds of relatively low strength and their significant intensification during the passage of cyclones under conditions of water stratification in the north and northwest of the sea, wind mixing penetrates here to horizons of about 20 m. In the less stratified waters of the southern and southwestern regions, the wind mixes the upper layers to the horizons 25-30 m. In autumn, stratification decreases and winds increase, but at this time of year the thickness of the upper homogeneous layer increases due to density mixing.
Autumn-winter cooling, and in the north, ice formation, cause intense convection in the Sea of Japan. In its northern and northwestern parts, as a result of rapid autumn cooling of the surface, convective mixing develops, which covers deep layers within a short time. With the onset of ice formation, this process intensifies, and in December convection penetrates to the bottom. At great depths, it extends to horizons of 2000-3000 m. In the southern and southeastern regions of the sea, which are cooled to a lesser extent in autumn and winter, convection extends mainly to horizons of 200 m. In areas of sharp changes in depth, convection is enhanced by the sliding of water along the slopes, as a result of which density mixing penetrates to horizons of 300-400 m. Below mixing is limited by the density structure of water, and ventilation of the bottom layers occurs due to turbulence, vertical movements and other dynamic processes.
On the roadstead of Tokyo port
The nature of the circulation of sea waters is determined not only by the influence of the winds acting directly above the sea, but also by the circulation of the atmosphere over the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, since the strengthening or weakening of the influx of Pacific waters depends on it. In summer, the southeast monsoon promotes increased water circulation due to the flow of large quantity water. In winter, the persistent northwest monsoon prevents the flow of water into the sea through the Korea Strait, causing weakening water circulation.
Through the Korea Strait, the waters of the western branch of the Kuroshio, which passed through the Yellow Sea, enter the Sea of Japan and spread in a wide stream to the northeast along the Japanese islands. This flow is called the Tsushima Current. In the central part of the sea, the Yamato Rise divides the flow of Pacific waters into two branches, forming a divergence zone, which is especially pronounced in the summer. In this zone, deep waters rise. Having skirted the hill, both branches connect in an area located in the northwest of the Noto Peninsula.
At a latitude of 38-39°, a small flow separates from the northern branch of the Tsushima Current to the west, towards the Korea Strait, and turns into a countercurrent along the coast of the Korean Peninsula. The bulk of the Pacific waters are carried out from the Sea of Japan through the Sangarsky and La Perouse straits, while some of the waters, having reached the Tatar Strait, give rise to the cold Primorsky Current, moving south. South of Peter the Great Bay, the Primorsky Current turns east and merges with the northern branch of the Tsushima Current. A small part of the water continues to move south to Korea Bay, where it flows into the countercurrent formed by the waters of the Tsushima Current.
Thus, moving along the Japanese Islands from south to north, and along the coast of Primorye - from north to south, the waters of the Sea of Japan form a cyclonic gyre centered in the northwestern part of the sea. In the center of the gyre, rising waters are also possible.
In the Sea of Japan, two frontal zones are distinguished - the main polar front, formed by the warm and salty waters of the Tsushima Current and the cold, less saline waters of the Primorsky Current, and the secondary front, formed by the waters of the Primorsky Current and coastal waters, which in summer have a higher temperature and lower salinity than the waters of the Primorsky Current. In winter, the polar front passes slightly south of the parallel of 40° N, and near the Japanese Islands it runs approximately parallel to them almost to the northern tip of the island. Hokkaido. In summer, the location of the front is approximately the same, it only moves slightly to the south, and off the coast of Japan - to the west. The secondary front passes near the coast of Primorye, approximately parallel to them.
The tides in the Sea of Japan are quite distinct. They are created mainly by the Pacific tidal wave entering the sea through the Korea and Sangar Straits.
The sea experiences semi-diurnal, diurnal and mixed tides. In the Korea Strait and in the north of the Tatar Strait there are semi-diurnal tides, on the eastern coast of Korea, on the coast of Primorye, near the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido - diurnal tides, in Peter the Great and Korean Gulfs - mixed.
The nature of the tide corresponds to tidal currents. In open areas of the sea, semidiurnal tidal currents with speeds of 10-25 cm/s are mainly observed. Tidal currents in the straits are more complex, where they have very significant speeds. Thus, in the Sangar Strait, tidal current speeds reach 100-200 cm/s, in the La Perouse Strait - 50-100, in the Korea Strait - 40-60 cm/s.
The greatest level fluctuations are observed in the extreme southern and northern regions of the sea. At the southern entrance to the Korea Strait, the tide reaches 3 m. As you move north, it quickly decreases and already at Busan it does not exceed 1.5 m.
In the middle part of the sea the tides are low. Along the eastern coasts of the Korean Peninsula and Soviet Primorye, up to the entrance to the Tatar Strait, they are no more than 0.5 m. The tides are of the same magnitude off the western coasts of Honshu, Hokkaido and Southwestern Sakhalin. In the Tatar Strait, the tide height is 2.3-2.8 m. In the northern part of the Tatar Strait, the tide heights increase, which is determined by its funnel-shaped shape.
In addition to tidal fluctuations, seasonal level fluctuations are well expressed in the Sea of Japan. In summer (August - September) the maximum rise in level is observed on all shores of the sea; in winter and early spring (January - April) the minimum level is observed.
In the Sea of Japan, surge level fluctuations are observed. During the winter monsoon off the western coast of Japan, the level can rise by 20-25 cm, and off the mainland coast it can drop by the same amount. In summer, opposite, near the coast North Korea and Primorye, the level rises by 20-25 cm, and off the Japanese coast it decreases by the same amount.
Strong winds caused by the passage of cyclones and especially typhoons over the sea develop very significant waves, while monsoons cause less strong waves. In the northwestern part of the sea, northwestern waves predominate in autumn and winter, and eastern waves prevail in spring and summer. Most often, disturbances with a force of 1-3 points are observed, the frequency of which varies from 60 to 80% per year. In winter, strong waves prevail - 6 points or more, the frequency of which is about 10%.
In the southeastern part of the sea, thanks to the stable northwest monsoon, waves from the northwest and north develop in winter. In summer, weak, most often southwesterly, waves prevail. The largest waves have a height of 8-10 m, and during typhoons, the maximum waves reach a height of 12 m. Tsunami waves are observed in the Sea of Japan.
The northern and northwestern parts of the sea, adjacent to the mainland coast, are covered with ice annually for 4-5 months, the area of which occupies about 1/4 of the entire sea.
Ice cover
The appearance of ice in the Sea of Japan is possible as early as October, and the last ice lingers in the north sometimes until mid-June. Thus, the sea is completely ice-free only during the summer months - July, August and September.
The first ice in the sea forms in closed bays and bays of the mainland coast, for example in Sovetskaya Gavan Bay, De-Kastri and Olga Bays. In October - November, ice cover mainly develops within bays and bays, and from late November - early December, ice begins to form in the open sea.
At the end of December, ice formation in coastal and open sea areas extends to Peter the Great Bay.
Fast ice is not widespread in the Sea of Japan. It forms first in the bays of De-Kastri, Sovetskaya Gavan and Olga; in the bays of Peter the Great Bay and Posyet it appears after about a month.
Every year, only the northern bays of the mainland coast freeze completely. South of Sovetskaya Gavan, the fast ice in the bays is unstable and can break up repeatedly during the winter. In the western part of the sea, floating and stationary ice appears earlier than in the eastern part; it is more stable. This is explained by the fact that the western part of the sea in winter is under the predominant influence of cold and dry air masses spreading from the mainland. In the east of the sea, the influence of these masses weakens significantly, and at the same time the role of warm and humid marine air masses increases. The ice cover reaches its greatest development around mid-February. From February to May, conditions favorable for ice melting (in situ) are created throughout the sea. In the eastern part of the sea, ice melting “begins earlier and occurs more intensely than at the same latitudes in the west.
Ice cover in the Sea of Japan varies significantly from year to year. There may be cases when the ice cover in one winter is 2 times or more greater than the ice cover in another.
Economic importance
Inhabitants of the Sea of Japan
The fish population of the Sea of Japan includes 615 species. The main commercial species of the southern part of the sea include sardine, anchovy, mackerel, and horse mackerel. In the northern regions, the main fish caught are mussels, flounder, herring, greenling and salmon. In summer, tuna, hammerfish, and saury penetrate into the northern part of the sea. The leading place in the species composition of fish catches is occupied by pollock, sardine and anchovy.
The Sea of Japan is one of the largest and deepest seas in the world. Its area is 1062 km2, its volume is 1631 thousand km3, and its greatest depth is 3720 m. This is a marginal oceanic sea.
There are no large islands in the Sea of Japan. Of the small ones, the most significant are the islands of Moneron, Rebun, Rishiri, Okushiri, Sado, and Ulleungdo.
The coastline of the Sea of Japan is relatively slightly indented. The simplest in outline is the coast of Sakhalin Island; the coasts of Primorye and the Japanese Islands are more winding. The large bays of the mainland coast include the following bays: Olga, Peter the Great, East Korean, Ishikari.
A distinctive feature of the Sea of Japan is the relatively small number of rivers flowing into it. Almost all rivers are mountainous. The continental flow into the Sea of Japan, equal to approximately 210 km3 per year, is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
The main role in the water balance of the sea is played by water exchange through the straits.
The straits vary in length, width and, most importantly, depth, which determines the nature of water exchange in the Sea of Japan. Through the Tsugari (Sangara) Strait, the Sea of Japan communicates directly with. The Nevelskoy and La Perouse straits connect the Sea of Japan with the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Korean Strait with. Due to the shallow depths of the straits and the great depths of the sea itself, conditions are created for isolating its deep waters from the Pacific Ocean and adjacent seas, which is the most important natural feature of the Sea of Japan.
The coast of the Sea of Japan, varied in structure and external forms in different areas, belongs to different morphometric types of coasts. These are predominantly abrasive shores, mostly little changed by the sea. To a lesser extent, the sea is characterized by shores. In some places, single rocks - kekurs - characteristic formations of the Sea of Japan coast rise from the water. Low-lying shores are found only on certain sections of the coast.
The winter monsoon brings dry and cold air to the Sea of Japan, the temperature of which increases from south to north and from west to east. In the coldest months - January and February - the monthly average in the north is about –20°С, and in the south about –5°С.
In warm seasons, the sea is affected by the Hawaiian High, and therefore southern and southwestern winds predominate. In summer and early autumn (July–October), the number of typhoons over the sea increases (with a maximum in September), which cause. The average monthly temperature of the warmest month of August is approximately 15°C in the northern part of the sea, and about 25°C in the southern regions.
The circulation of the waters of the Sea of Japan is determined by the influx of Pacific waters through the straits and the circulation over the sea itself. Warm currents in the eastern part of the sea and cold currents passing along its western shores form two cyclonic gyres in the northern and southern parts of the sea.
Water masses are divided into surface, intermediate and deep. The surface mass exhibits the largest temperature fluctuations in both time and space. In summer, the temperature of surface waters in the south is 24–25°C, in winter it varies from 15°C in the Korea Strait to 5°C off the island of Hokkaido. In the northwestern part of the sea, summer temperatures are 13–15°C, and in winter, throughout the convection layer, 0.2–0.4°C. The salinity of surface waters in summer in the south is 33.0–33.4‰, in the north it is about 32.5‰. In winter, in the northwestern part of the sea, salinity increases to 34.0–34.1‰. The intermediate zone has high temperature and salinity. The deep water mass has an extremely uniform temperature (0–0.5°C) and salinity (34.0–34.1‰).
Tidal fluctuations in the level of the Sea of Japan are small and amount to 0.2 m off the coast, 0.4–0.5 m off the coast of the Primorsky Territory, and only in the Korean and Tatar Straits exceed 2 m. The speeds of tidal currents are high only in the straits and can reach 140 cm /With.
The appearance of ice in the Sea of Japan is possible as early as October, and the last ice lingers in the north sometimes until mid-June.
Every year, only the northern bays of the mainland coast freeze completely. In the western part of the sea, floating, stationary ice appears earlier than in the eastern part, and it is more stable. The ice cover reaches its greatest development around mid-February. In the eastern part of the sea, ice melting begins earlier and occurs more intensely than at the same latitudes in the west.
Ice cover in the Sea of Japan varies significantly from year to year. There may be cases when the ice cover in one winter is 2 times or more greater than the ice cover in another.
The Sea of Japan is one of the most productive. Along the coast, algae form powerful thickets; The benthos is diverse and large in biomass. The abundance of food and oxygen, the influx of warm waters create favorable conditions for the development of fish fauna.
The fish population of the Sea of Japan includes 615 species. The main commercial species of the southern part of the sea include sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and horse mackerel. In the northern regions, mainly mussels, flounder, herring, greenling and salmon are caught. In summer, tuna, hammerfish, and saury penetrate into the northern part of the sea. The leading place in the species composition of fish catches is occupied by pollock, sardine and anchovy. Fishing in most parts of the sea continues all year round.
It is polluted by wastewater from cities, industrial enterprises and agricultural complexes located on west coast Sakhalin Island (area of the city of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky) and on the mainland (Khabarovsk Territory).
Currents of the Sea of Japan They are distinguished by a noticeable variety of regimes, which determines the formation of mixed warm-water and temperate flora and fauna on the shores of the sea, despite quite clear zonal differences between the northwestern and southeastern parts of its water area.
general characteristics
In general, surface currents in the sea are cyclonic in nature and directed counterclockwise. The warm vector, represented by the Tsushima Current, moves along the island. Honshu to the north. The cold current comes from the Tartary Strait and passes along the coast of the mainland to the south. Each of them has large and small branches. In addition, in the inner part of the water area, up to five mixed circulation zones are distinguished, which are large whirlpools. Currents, divided into cold and warm, have the following names:
Peculiarities
Notes
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- Prandtl Current
- Techenskoe rural settlement
See what “Currents of the Sea of Japan” are in other dictionaries:
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Tsushima Current- shown by number 4, the Tsushima Current is the northwestern branch of the warm Kuroshio Current. It enters the Sea of Japan through a rather narrow (47 km) ... Wikipedia
Sakhalin- This term has other meanings, see Sakhalin (meanings). Sakhalin ... Wikipedia
Sakhalin
Sakhalin island- Coordinates: 50°17′07″ N. w. 142°58′05″ E. d. / 50.285278° n. w. 142.968056° E. d. ... Wikipedia
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Japan- state in East. Asia. In the first half of the 1st millennium AD. e. known as the country of Yamato. The name comes from the ethnonym Yamato, which referred to the union of tribes living in the center, part of the island. Honshu, and meant people of the mountains, mountaineers. In the 7th century for the country the name is accepted... ... Geographical encyclopedia
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