Characteristics of tidal current and mean flow at the west channel of Yeoja Bay in the South Sea of Korea
In order to understand the tidal current and mean flow at the west channel of Yeoja Bay in the South Sea of Korea, numerical model experiments and vorticity analysis were carried out. The currents flow north at flood and south at ebb respectively and have the reversing form in the west channel. Topographical eddies are found in the surroundings of Dunbyong Island in the east of the channel. The flood currents flow from the waters near Naro Islands through the west channel and the coastal waters near Geumo Islands through the east channel. The ebb currents from the Yeoja Bay flow out along the west and the east channels separately. The south of Nang Island have weak flows because the island is located in the rear of main tidal stream. Currents are converged at ebb and diverged at flood in the northwest of Jeokgum Island. Tidal current ellipses show reversing form in the west channel but a kind of rotational form in the east channel. As the results of tide induced mean flows, cyclonic and anticyclonic topographical eddies at the northern tip but eddies with opposite spin at the southern tip are found in the west channel of Yeoja Bay. The topographical eddies around the islands and narrow channels are created from the vorticity formed at the land shore by the friction between tidal currents and the west channel.