In this study, steric height variability in the East Asian Seas (EAS) has been analyzed by using ocean reanalysis intercomparison project (ORA-IP) data. Results show that there are significant correlations between ocean reanalysis and satellite data except the phase of annual cycle and interannual signals of the Yellow Sea. Reanalysis ensemble derived from 15-different assimilation systems depicts higher correlation (0.706) than objective analysis ensemble (0.296) in the EAS. This correlation coefficient is also much higher than that of the global ocean (0.441). For the longterm variability of the thermosteric sea level during 1993-2010, a significant warming trend is found in the East/Japan Sea, while cooling trend is shown around the Kuroshio extension area. For the halosteric sea level, a dominant freshening trend is found in the EAS. However, below 300 m depth around this area, the signal-to-noise ratio of the linear trend is generally less than one, which is related to the low density of observation data.

Abstract
Introduction
Data and Methods
    Ocean reanalysis intercomparison project
    Validation data
    Methods
Results
    Validation period (2003-2010)
    Extended intercomparison period (1993-2010)
Summary and Perspective
References

• You-Soon Chang(Department of Earth Science Education, Kongju National University) Corresponding author
• Min-Ji Kang(Department of Earth Science Education, Kongju National University)