A fine-resolution coupled ice-ocean model configured for the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea is presented. A horizontal grid spacing of 3.7km×2.8km was used in this coupled model. Seasonal simulations were made from the winters of 1997/1998 to 2008/2009. By comparing of the simulation results and the remote sensing images, the ice-ocean coupled model reasonably reproduces the seasonal variations of the sea ice conditions in the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea. The predicted ice-freezing date, ice-ending date and ice periods are in fairly good agreement with observations, and some are even identical to measurements. Normally, the sea ice thickness of the west part in Liaodong bay is less than that of the east part, which can be reproduced well by the ice-ocean coupled model. However, during the melting period, simulated sea ice melts much faster than observations, and the model loses accuracy in simulation of specific ice thickness distribution.
The Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea are the only regions with sea ice in China Seas, and are almost the lowest-latitude regions which ice can naturally form in the world. Every winter, sea ice in these areas imposes different impacts on shipping, offshore oil and gas exploration, with oil platform collapsed, ships damaged, shipping stopped during severe ice conditions in history. Even during the years of mild ice condition, there are also disasters at parts of the Bohai Sea, such as in the 2007 winter (Zhang, 2007). Therefore, sea ice is one major factor to be considered for marine engineering design, shipping and exploration for the ocean environment in the Bohai Sea and North Yellow Sea. Since 1980s', by using field observation and experimentation, data analysis and numerical simulation, a series of studies on sea ice dynamics and thermodynamics have been carried out in China.
