• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.237-246
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• 2002

This study classified wintertime bioclimatic zones of South Korea based on daytime and nighttime distribution of wind chill index calculated from climate data during the coldest month for latest 30 years (1971- 2000). The results show that the winter daytime and nighttime wind chill index were influenced by climatic factors such as elevation, land-sea breeze, topology, and sea currents etc. as well as climatic components such as temperature, wind speed, and sunshine, so that South Korea was divided into five bioclimatic zones; Cool day- cold night zone, Keen day- Cold night zone, Keen day-Very Cold night zone, Cold day and night zone, and Cold day-Extremely Cold night zone. Especially, coasts and island areas, except for south coast of Korea, shows Keen bioclimatic response during daytime and Very Cold bioclimatic response during nighttime. This indicates that coasts and island areas, except for south coast of Korea are affected by moonson and land-sea breeze. In addition, highly elevated Daegwallyeong shows Cold bioclimatic response during daytime and Extremely Cold during nighttime due to the influence of adiabatic temperature lapse rate and monsoon. This study offers basic data necessary to make decisions concerning insulation such as clothing and architect etc. by classifying winter bioclimatic zones of South Korea based on various daytime and nighttime distribution of wind chill.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.681-700
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• 2008

In this study, the spatial and temporal patterns of changes in means and extreme events of temperature and precipitation across the Republic of Korea over the last 35 years (1973-2007) are examined. Over the study period, meteorological winter (December-February) mean minimum (maximum) temperature has increased by $+0.54^{\circ}C$/decade ($+0.6^{\circ}C$/decade), while there have been no significant changes in meteorological summer (June-August) mean temperatures. According to analyses of upper or lower $10^{th}$ percentile-based extreme temperature indices, the annual frequency of cool nights (days) has decreased by -9.2 days/decade (-3.3 days/decade), while the annual frequency of warm nights (days) has increased by +4.9 days/decade (+6.8 days/decade). In contrast, the increase rates of summer warm nights (+8.0 days/$^{\circ}C$) and days (+6.6 days/$^{\circ}C$) relative to changes in summer means minimum and maximum temperatures means are greater than the decreasing rates of winter nights (-5.2 days/$^{\circ}C$) and days (-4.3 days/$^{\circ}C$) relative to changes in winter temperatures. These results demonstrate that seasonal and diurnal asymmetric changes in extreme temperature events have occurred. Moreover, annual total precipitation has increased by 85.5 mm/decade particularly in July and August, which led to the shift of a bimodal behavior of summer precipitation into a multi-modal structure. These changes have resulted from the intensification of heavy rainfall events above 40mm in recent decades, and spatially the statistically-significant increases in these heavy rainfall events are observed around the Taebaek mountain region.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.623-634
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• 2000

This study was conducted to analyze the patterns associated with the short-term variability of CO$_2$ concentrations over 24-h scale within and across the Korean Peninsula. In the course of our study, we compared the data sets obtained from Moo-Ahn (MAN) station located in the far western coastal area of Korea with those determined from major background observatory stations around the world from the periods of Aug. 1995 to Dec. 1997. The mean CO$_2$ concentration of the MAN area for the whole study periods, when computed using the daily mean values, was found out to be 374.5${\pm}$6.6 ppm (N=884); seasonal mean values were found out to be 378${\pm}$5.2 (spring: N=181), 372${\pm}$10.2 (summer: N =210), 372${\pm}$7.2 (fall: N=243), and 376${\pm}$5.4 ppm (winter: N=206). When the data from MAN was compared with those of major background stations, the effects of both daily and seasonal components appear to vary distinctively across different stations. Those effects are expected to reflect the mixed effects of various factors which include: seasonal pollution patterns, weather conditions, vegetation, and so forth. Based upon this comparative analysis, we suspect that the MAN area is under the strong influence of anthropogenic source processes relative to all the other stations under consideration. If that is not the case, the existence of enhanced CO$_2$ level may be rather ubiquitous phenomena in Korea. More detailed inspection of CO$_2$ behavior from various respects is strongly desired in the future.