Monitoring the marine environment of the East China Sea with satellite-tracked drifters -Behavior of Changjiang diluted water

• Published in: Bulletin on coastal oceanography Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 33 - 38
• Main Authors: Matsuno, Takeshi, Lee, Joon-Soo, Pang, Ig-Chan, Kim, Sang-Hyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: 01.01.2006
• Subjects: Marine; INW, China, People's Rep., Changjiang Delta; INW, Donghai Sea
• ISSN: 1342-2758

The measurements using satellite tracked drifters to monitor coastal water is discussed, along with possible issues involved in observations using the drifters, by referring to recent measurements in the East China Sea. The availability of measurements using drifters depends on the performance of how a drifter follows the movement of water masses. An experiment using a drogue 4 m length at 5 m below the surface suggests that there is a drift velocity error of about 10% in a wind field around 8-10 m/s. A salinity sensor installed in the drifter indicated a general gradual increase in salinity according to the process of the dispersion of fresh water discharged from Changjiang. However, since individual drifters revealed frequent decreases in salinity suggesting that the drifter did not exactly follow the movement of the water mass, experiments using larger numbers of drifters are needed. In the case of drifters used in experiments in coastal areas surrounded by more than one country, such as in the East China Sea, there might be concerns about issues involving international borders. However, from the standpoint of the coastal ocean environment we consider that the coastal area should be treated as a unified system being beyond national borders.