The seasonal variability of the Japan/East Sea (JES) circulation was studied numerically using the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) with horizontal resolution varying from 11.54 to 18.53 km and 15 sigma levels conforming to a relatively realistic bottom topography. The model was integrated using climatological monthly mean wind stresses, heat and salt fluxes as surface forcing and observational oceanic inflow/outflow at open boundaries. The seasonally averaged effects of isolated forcing terms are presented and analyzed from the following experiments: 1)non-linear effects removed,2) no lateral transport at open boundary, and 3) wind effects removed. Major currents are simulated reasonably well compared to observations. The nonlinear advection does not affect the general circulation pattern evidently, but does affect the formation of the mesoscale eddies, especially the Ulleung/Tsushima Basin (UTB) eddy (all seasons) and the Japan Basin (JB) cyclonic gyre (spring). The lateral boundary forcing enhances (weakens) the JES volume transport in the summer (winter). The wind forcing is the most important factor (80%) for generating the JB cyclonic gyre. Besides, it drives the Liman Current and damps the East Korean Warn Current in the winter, and generates the UTB eddy, and eddies along the Japan Nearshore Branch (JNB) in all seasons. However, it has almost no effect on the JNB currents for all seasons.

This book unifies and enhances the accessibility of contemporary scholarly research on advances in coastal modeling. A comprehensive spectrum of innovative models addresses the wide diversity and multifaceted aspects of coastal research on the complex natural processes, dynamics, interactions and responses of the coastal supersystem and its associated subsystems. The twenty-one chapters, contributed by internationally recognized coastal experts from fourteen countries, provide invaluable insights on the recent advances and present state-of-the-art knowledge on coastal models which are essential for not only illuminating the governing coastal process and various characteristics, but also for understanding and predicting the dynamics at work in the coastal system. One of the unique strengths of the book is the impressive and encompassing presentation of current functional and operational coastal models for all those concerned with and interested in the modeling of seas, oceans and coasts. In addition to chapters modeling the dynamic natural processes of waves, currents, circulatory flows and sediment transport there are also chapters that focus on the modeling of beaches, shorelines, tidal basins and shore platforms. The substantial scope of the book is further strengthened with chapters concentrating on the effects of coastal structures on nearshore flows, coastal water quality, coastal pollution, coastal ecological modeling, statistical data modeling, and coupling of coastal models with geographical information systems.

A major task for physical oceanographers is to determine the movement of oceanic water from observations. This book introduces the P-vector inverse method, with a two-step determination of the velocity from hydrographic data. The book provide insights into the basics of the P-vector inverse method and the features of the inverted global and regional ocean circulations. Upper undergraduate and graduate students as well as oceanographers, marine biologists and other environmental scientists will find this book a valuable tool for their studies.

This collection contains 83 peer-reviewed papers presenting on marine environmental modeling presented at the 6th International Conference on Estuarine and Coastal Modeling, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 3-5, 1999.