• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.643-656
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• 2014

The homogeneity analysis of temporal (monthly, seasonal and annual) climate aridity index trend was accomplished for 43 climate measurement stations in South Korea. Furthermore, 43 stations were grouped into 9 different regions and the temporal and regional homogeneity of climate aridity index trends in each region and entire 9 regions were analyzed. For analysis, monthly, seasonal and annual climate aridity indexes of 43 study stations were estimated using precipitation and potential evapotranspiration calculated from FAO Penman-Monteith equation. The Mann-Kendall statistical test for significant trend was accomplished using the estimated climate aridity indexes and the results of trend test (Z scores) were used to analyze the temporal and regional homogeneity of climate aridity index trends. The study results showed the temporal and regional homogeneity of climate aridity index trends for individual and entire 9 regions. However, the homogeneity and the extent of aridity index trend showed different patterns temporally and regionally.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.115-125
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• 2012

The comparison between the spatial and temporal variability of aridity index, precipitation effectiveness and runoff during El-Nino and La-Nina periods and that of the normal period was conducted to evaluate the regional impacts of El-Nino, La-Nina in hydrologic variables. Aridity index and precipitation effectiveness were estimated using 59 nationwide weather stations data and runoff data of WAMIS were used. The ratio of the difference between El-Nino, La-Nina year value and that of normal year was analyzed. Temporal variation demonstrated that aridity index, precipitation effectiveness and run-off discharge increase in March, April, August, November, December and decrease in February, June, September, October according to El-Nino effect. Aridity index, precipitation effectiveness and run-off discharge increase in March, May, September and decrease in June, August, November, December according to La-Nina effect. The spatial variation of those variables analyzed for different basins showed that impacts in the Han river basin relatively higher than that of other basins.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.146-146
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• 2019

The aridity index, which is determined as the ratio of potential evapotranspiration to precipitation, is one of key parameters in drought characterization. Whereas the evaporative index, which is defined as the ratio of actual evapotranspiration to precipitation, represents the fraction of available water consumed by the evapotranspiration process. This study investigates variation of the aridity and evaporative indexes due to climate change during the 21st century in South Korea. Estimations of the aridity and evaporative indexes are obtained using SWAT mode based on ensemble of 13 different GCMs over 5 large basins of South Korea for 2 RCP scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). The results shows the opposite trends of the two indexes, where the aridity index is projected as always increase, while the evaporative index is expected to decrease in all of 3 future period (2011-1940, 1941-1970, 1971-2099). The estimated results also suggest that land cover influenced significantly evapotranspiration along with the change of climate. The study indicates that South Korea will be facing with a high risk of water scarcity in future due to climate change, which is seriously challenging for water planing and management in the country.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.613-627
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• 2013

In this study, to understand the May aridity condition of each region for the year of the worst drought on record in each duration (1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24 months), monthly climate data recorded from 1973 to 2006 at 53 climatological stations in South Korea were used to estimate the FAO Penman-Monteith reference potential evapotranspiration (RET). Monthly precipitation and RET were used to estimate P/RET as aridity index and variation index (VI) of P/RET, and these indexes are compared with SPI (Standard Precipitation Index). Fifty three climatological stations were grouped into 20 regions, so that May aridity conditions of 20 regions were studied. Furthermore, regional trend of May aridity index was studied by applying Mann-Kendall trend analysis, Spearman rank test, and Sen's slope estimator. The study results show that variation index (VI) of P/RET and SPI have close correlation. Throughout the country, as the duration is shorter, May aridity was more severe. In case of 3-month and 6-month duration, most of region show significant or non-significant decreasing trend of aridity index. However, no region show significant decreasing trend of aridity index in case of 12-month and 24-month duration.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.421-433
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• 2014

In this study, monthly and annual aridity indices which are the ratios of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration in Seoul climate measurement station were analyzed for past 50 years (1961~2010), and the ratio of aridity index simulated by climate change scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) for each future period (2011~2040, 2041~2070, 2071~2100) to aridity index for the past period (1971~2000) was analyzed. Furthermore, 5 different potential evapotranspiration equations (FAO P-M, Penman, Makkink, Priestley-Taylor, Hargreaves) were applied to analyze the effect of potential evapotranspiration equation on estimating aridity index and aridity index variation ratio (%). The study results indicate that the monthly precipitation, average temperature and potential evapotranspiration were increased in each future period as compared to past period for both RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Furthermore, winter period showed more significant increase of potential evapotranspiration than summer period, but aridity index showed different patterns as compared with potential evapotranspiration reflecting the influence of precipitation. Therefore, it is necessary to make preparation for the increment of winter evapotranspiration in terms of water resources management. The monthly and annual aridity indices based on future climate change scenarios were greatly different according to potential evapotranspiration equations; however, monthly and annual patterns of aridity index variation ratio (%) in the future period as compared to past period were very similar regardless of applied potential evapotranspiration equation.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.193-193
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• 2017

Trend analysis can enhance our knowledge of the dominant processes in the area and contribute to the analysis of future climate projections. The results of previous studies in South Korea showed that southeast regions of Korea had the highest value of evapotranspiration. Thereby, it is of interest to determine the trend analysis in hydrological variables in this area. In this study, the recent 35 year trends of precipitation, reference evapotranspiration, and aridity index in monthly and annual time scale will be analyzed over three stations (Pohang, Daegu, and Pusan) of southeast Korea. After removing the significant Lag-1 serial correlation effect by pre-whitening, non-parametric statistical Mann-Kendall test was used to detect the trends. Also, the slope of trend of the Mann-Kendall test was determined by using Theil-Sen's estimator. The results of the trend analysis of reference evapotranspiration on the annual scale showed the increasing trend for the three mentioned stations, with significant increasing trend for Pusan station. The results obtained from this research can guide development if water management practices and cropping systems in the area that rely on this weather stations. The approaches use and the models fitted in this study can serve as a demonstration of how a time series trend can be analyzed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.154-154
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• 2022

The frequency of natural disasters, including floods and drought events, driven by climate change has increased in recent times. Investigating the climate regimes and the roles of climate variables are indispensable to forestall future climate change-related disasters. This study compares the variability of two popular and widely used climate indices i.e., the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) aridity index and the Modified De-Martonne (MDM) index to assess the trend of climate change in the Chungcheong provinces of South Korea. The trend of annual and monthly climate indices was conducted using a non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test with daily climate data of 48 years (1978-2020) from 10 synoptic stations. The findings indicate that UNEP and MDM indices had a wet climate regime for the annual trend, with the UNEP index indicating a relatively humid trend of 60% humid, 20% semi-arid, and 10% sub-humid for the 48-years study period. However, the MDM index showed a high frequency of a severe wet climatic condition followed by the semi-arid condition. The months of July and August had the highest occurring frequency of the wet climatic condition (90%) for both UNEP and MDM indices. Comparing the two provinces, Chungnam showed a relatively wetter climatic condition using the UNEP index, while the MDM index indicated no significant regional difference in climate regime between the two provinces. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test showed that all the 10 stations are normally distributed for monthly climate conditions at a 5% significant level in the two provinces except five stations for UNEP index and four stations for MDM index in the month of January.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.785-794
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• 2014

Hydrologic responses in watershed are determined by complex interactions among climate, land use, soil and vegetation. In order to effectively investigate hydrologic response in watershed, one needs to analyze the characteristics of climate as well as other factors. In this study, the relative contribution of climate factors and watershed characteristics on hydrologic response is investigated by using hydrologic indexes such as the aridity index and the Horton index. From preliminary analysis, it is shown that the Horton index is proper in terms of classifying hydrologic responses in main natural watersheds of south Korea. While climate and watershed characteristics both contributes to hydrologic responses, the degree contributed from each factor is changed depending on annual climatic humid conditions. In dry conditions, the climate factor is the predominant influence on hydrologic responses. However, in wet conditions, the contribution of watershed characteristics on hydrologic responses is relatively increased.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.82-94
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the cause of increasing dry zones through analyzing relationships between land cover and Vegetation Temperature Condition Index(VTCI) using Landsat 4-5 TM satellite images in Central Dry Zones of Myanmar. As a result of land cover classifications, while vegetation areas gradually decrease, residential area and cropland were increased. VTCI analysis shows that region (a) showed a gradual decrease in the area of severely arid, and increase in the area of moderate dry and wet, which sums up to a slight decrease in aridity. Region (b) also showed to increase in dry areas and severe aridity. The result of relational analysis between VTCI and land cover change showed high ratio of land cover change, from severe arid area to forest and residential farmland. The average VTCI decreased in the changed land covers, which indicates the relationship between aridity and land cover change and a gradual increase in the arid area was identified.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.611-611
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• 2015

One of the hazard of nature is a drought. Its impact varies from region to region and it is difficult for people to understand and define due to differences in hydrometeorological and social economic aspects across much of the country. In the most general sense, drought originates from a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually month, season or more, resulting in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) is well known and has been used to study aridity changes in modern and past climates. The PDSI index is estimated over US using USHCN historical data.(e.g. precipitation, temperature, latitude and soil moisture). In this study, low frequency drought variability associated with climate variability such as El-Nino and ENSO is mainly investigated. With respect to the multi-scale analysis, wavelet transform analysis is applied to the PDSI index in order to extract the low frequency band corresponding to 2-8 years. Finally, low frequency patterns associated with drought by comparing global wavelet power, with significance test are explored.