Oceanic front

Japanese: 海洋前線 - かいようぜんせん（英語表記）oceanic front

A discontinuity between different water masses. The front was named after meteorology because the water temperature, salinity, color, and flow speed are significantly different on both sides of the front. On the other hand, it is sometimes called a tidal boundary, which is unique to the ocean, and the one that appears on the sea surface is called a tidal line. Fronts range from large ones formed between the Kuroshio Current and the Oyashio Current to small ones formed between river water and offshore water, where debris often accumulates. (1) Kuroshio front: Formed on the north side of the Kuroshio Current and the Kuroshio Extension, discontinuity in water temperature and salinity. (2) Oyashio front: Discontinuity in water temperature and salinity on the south side of the Oyashio Current off the coast of Sanriku. (3) Estuarine front: Discontinuity in salinity and water temperature caused by river water and heated discharge from power plants. (4) Coastal front: Formed on the edge of the continental shelf, etc., the boundary between coastal water and offshore water. It is clearly seen at the mouth of Tokyo Bay and the Kii Channel, and is also called a thermohaline front.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

異なる水塊の間の不連続面をいう。前線の両側では，水温・塩分・水色・流速などが顕著に異なるため，気象学にならって名付けられた。一方，海洋独自の名称として潮境と呼ばれることがあり，海面に現れたものを潮目という。前線には，黒潮と親潮の間につくられる大規模なものから，河川水と沖合水の間にでき，しばしばゴミなどが集積している小規模なものまである。 (1) 黒潮前線:黒潮および黒潮続流の北側にでき，水温・塩分の不連続。 (2) 親潮前線:三陸沖の親潮の南側で水温・塩分の不連続。 (3) 河口域前線:河川水，発電所からの温排水による塩分・水温の不連続。 (4) 沿岸前線:大陸棚縁辺などにでき，沿岸水と沖合水の境界。東京湾口や紀伊水道には顕著に見られ，熱塩前線ともいう。

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