Sea level variability at Ulleung Island in the East (Japan) Sea

Monthly adjusted sea level (ASL) was analyzed to examine the characteristics of sea level variation at Ulleung Island in the East (Japan) Sea from 1979 to 1992. It is remarkable that the nonseasonal variation is comparable with the mean seasonal variation in amplitude at Ulleung Island, whereas the mean seasonal variation is dominant along the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula. At Ulleung Island the variation in the mean seasonal, interannual, and short-term component variability is 54, 13, and 30% of the total ASL variance, respectively. ASL variability is highly correlated with the upper layer heat content around Ulleung Island. There are two factors that contribute to large nonseasonal variation of the ASL around the island. One is the location of the polar front that divides the northern cold water region and the southern warm water region. The other is the presence of a warm eddy that frequently forms near Ulleung Island. When the northern cold water region extends southward to Ulleung Island, the heat content of the upper layer decreases, and ASL around the island falls. In contrast, when the southern warm water region extends northward to the island, the heat content increases, and ASL rises greatly. The movement of the front with a period of 1-2 years causes interannual variation of ASL. When a warm eddy approaches Ulleung Island, the heat content increases, and ASL rises. The short-term variation in ASL is caused primarily by the migration of the warm eddy around Ulleung Island.