The physical processes in the Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea is a shallow (average depth of 44 m), epi-continental sea bounded by China and Korea. The region is subject to highly variable environmental conditions and processes that combine along with the basin characteristics to impact the oceanographic conditions and coastal morphology. Furthermore anthropogenic developments of relatively large scale are common in the region, and not only directly impact the coastline in development areas but also alter the physical processes and therefore indirectly impact additional coastal areas. The physical processes at work include solar radiation, wind forcing, river discharge, tides, and water exchange with adjacent seas. This paper provides a literature review of the physical processes in the Yellow Sea as well as a review of the anthropogenic interaction and impact to the coastal area and these physical processes. The Yellow Sea is a macro-tidal environment with the maximum tidal amplitude of approximately 10 m in the coastal regions. Semidiurnal and diurnal harmonic components dominate and the associated tidal currents play a large role in the coastal morphology in the region. Secondary to tides the most influential environmental factor is the seasonal variability associated with the Asian monsoon system that is present in this region. This climatological system accounts for strong northwesterly wind and dry air during the winter and mild, warm southeasterly winds that are associated with relatively high precipitation during the summer. The region is also subject to seasonal variability of storm activity including occasional typhoons in the region during late summer and early fall. The seasonal variability plays a role in the development of seasonal circulation patterns, where wind, precipitation and solar radiation all play a role. During summer the strongly stratified water column circulates cyclonically and the Korean Coastal Current (KCC) flows northward along the Korean coast and the Yellow Sea Coastal Current (YSCC) flows southward along the Chinese coast and the Yangtze Bank. During winter the strong northwesterly wind mixes water column and both KCC and YSCC flow southward in the shallower regions while the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) episodically penetrates into the Yellow Sea and transport swarm, saline water to the central Yellow Sea. The seasonal conditions combine to control water and sediment transport; high freshwater input during summer causes strong stratification and inhibits resuspension while strong wind during winter reduces stratification and promotes resuspension. The temporal variability of the sediment loading and physical processes combined with anthropogenic coastal developments serve to continuously reshape the coastal landscape. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.