Abstract
The longitudinal distribution of average temperature, salinity and transparency in the Seto Inland Sea were described based on the existing data obtained during a period with large meander of the Kuroshio (August, 1975-July, 1980) and during a period with no meander (1966-1974). respectively.
It became clear that average salinity during the meander period showed lower value than that during no meander period in the western part of the Seto Inland Sea, contrary to the eastern pazt where average salinity was comparatively high when the meander was present. These dif-ferences in salinity could not be explained well by the differences in precipitation and river dis-charge.
The salinity difference between the Kuroshio meander and no meander periods was large in the eastern Bisan-Seto where the lowest salinity was generally observed, and westward shift of the water with salinity lower than 31‰ during the meander present seemed to be closely related to the above salinity differences. It was suggested that a certain change occurred in the advective con-dition of the Seto Inland Sea water due to the Kuroshio meander.
