Author(s): Jong-Kyu Kim; Hyun-Ku Song; Moon-Ock Lee

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Keywords: Thermal effluent; Seomjin River plume; Real-time monitoring; Satellite imagery; Empirical orthogonal function; Princeton Ocean Model

Abstract: The spatio-temporal characteristics of SST (Sea Surface Temperature) near the Seomjin River Estuary, including Gwangyang Bay and Yeosu Bay in the southern coastal waters of Korea, is investigated using some approaches, such as intensive field observation (real-time monitoring), EOF (Empirical Orthogonal Functions), three-dimensional numerical modelling with POM (Princeton Ocean Model) and satellite image analysis. EOF analysis shows that fluctuations of SST in study area can be decomposed into annual variation (first mode) and non-seasonal variation (higher modes). Satellite image analysis shows that three warm regions can be existed in study area and they are likely to fairly fluctuate with season. The POM set up with realistic coastline and bottom topography. Tidal and river flow forcing are also included. In a winter discharge case, tidal currents move freshwater in the vicinity of the Seomjin River Estuary and Deado Island. In a summer high discharge case, river flows move freshwater near the mouth of Gwangyang Bay and Yeosu Bay. The thermal plume dispersal anomaly associated with the Seomjin River plume was seen to be highly responsive to tidal currents and river flows during the spring tide.

DOI:

Year: 2007