Interannual changes of the seawater parameters in the surface and intermediate water-layer of the Japan Sea.

Abstract

The sea level interannual changes in the Japan and the East-China Seas for the period from 1970 to 2016 has been investigated using satellite altimetry and coastal tide-gauge data. We identified that an increase of the sea level (0.3–0.5 cm/year) in the northern East-China Sea between 1984 and 2016 to the enhanced water transport through the Korea Strait into the Japan Sea. An increase of the East-China Sea water supply is the main reason of the increased temperature and decreased salinity, dissolved oxygen and pH in the surface (50 m depth) and intermediate layer (500 m depth) of the southern and central Japan Sea.