• Atmosphere
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.235-246
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• 2006

Remote sensing techniques using satellites or the scanning weather radars depend mostly on the presence of clouds or precipitation, and leave the extensive regions of clear air unobserved. But wind profilers provide the most direct measurements of mesoscale vertical air motion in the troposphere, even in the context of heavy precipitation. In this paper, the precipitation events during the Changma period was classified into 4 precipitation types - stratiform, mixed stratiform/ convective, deep convective, and shallow convective. The parameters for the classification of analysis are the vertical structure of reflectivity, Doppler velocity, and spectral width measured with the wind profiler at Haenam for a three-year period (2003-2005). In addition, the synoptic fields and total amount of precipitation were analyzed using the Global Final Analyses (FNL) data and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) data. During the Changma period, the results show that the stratiform type was dominant under the moist-neutral atmosphere in 2003, whereas the deep convective type was under the moist unstable condition in 2004. The stratiform type was no less popular than the deep convective type among four seasons because the moist neutral layer was formed by the convergence between the upper-level jet and the low-level jet, and by the moisture transport along the western rim of the North Pacific subtropical anticyclone.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.377-394
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• 2012

To elucidate the mechanism associated with the development of heavy precipitation system, a field experiment was carried out in Jejudo (or Jeju Island) and Marado, Korea from 22 June to 12 July 2006. The synoptic atmospheric conditions were analyzed using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCEP/NCAR) reanalyzed data, weather maps, and sounding data. The kinematic characteristics of each precipitation system were investigated by dual Doppler radar analysis. During the field experiment, data of four precipitation events with more than 20 mm rainfall were collected. In F case (frontal precipitation), a typical Changma front was dominant and the observation field was fully saturated. However there was no convective instability near the surface. LF case (low pressure accompanied with Changma front) showed strong convective instability near the surface, while a strong convergence corresponded to the low pressure from China accompanied with Changma front. In FT case (Changma front indirectly influenced by typhoon), the presence of a convective instability indicated the transport of near surface, strong additional moisture from the typhoon 'EWINIAR'. The convergence wind field was ground to be located at a low level. The convective instability was not significant in T case (precipitation of the typhoon 'EWINIAR'), since the typhoon passed through Jejudo and the Changma front was disappeared toward the northeastern region of the Korean peninsula. The kinematic (convergence and divergence) characteristics of wind fields, convective instability, and additional moisture inflow played important roles in the formation and development of heavy precipitation.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.366-366
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• 2002

Cloud-to ground lightning and total precipitation over Korean peninsula during the summer monsoon season are studied extensively with a special emphasis on the characteristics of convective precipitation. Ten years (1988-1997) lightning and rainfall data and a temporal and spatial scale of one month and 10$^2$ km$^2$ respectively are used to calculate the monthly number of CG lightning flash count. Monsoonal convective activity is higher over the west coast with maxima at two different regions, one in the northern part which increases nortwestward and the other is at the middle west coast of Korea increasing towards the west coast. East coast represents the minimum value of monsoonal convective activity. In the east coast of Korean peninsula, particularly in the region east of Tae-back mountain, the value of Rain yield, (which is defined as the ratio of total precipitation to CG flash count over a common area), is maximum with an average value of 3$\times$10$^{8}$ kg fl$^{-1}$, while the minimum value of rain yield is occurred in the west of Tae-back mountain, with an average value of 0.8$\times$10$^{8}$ kg fl$^{-1}$. Results show in the west coast stations, nearly 82% of the total rainfall is convective in nature, at the middle of the peninsula 53% of the total rain is convective while in the east coast stations 46% contribution from the convective rain is seen. Kanghwa receives the maximum convective rain while at Ulsan the convective rain is minimum. Correlation coefficient between the total precipitation and CG lightning during the summer monsoon season is 0.54.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.335-346
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• 2020

Three free parameters included in a cumulus parameterization are optimized by using micro-genetic algorithm for three precipitation cases occurred in the Korea Peninsula during the summer season in order to reduce biases in a regional model associated with the uncertainties of the parameters and thus to improve the predictability of precipitation. The first parameter is the one that determines the threshold in convective trigger condition. The second parameter is the one that determines boundary layer forcing in convective closure. Finally, the third parameter is the one used in calculating conversion parameter determining the fraction of condensate converted to convective precipitation. Optimized parameters reduce the occurrence of convections by suppressing the trigger of convection. The reduced convection occurrence decreases light precipitation but increases heavy precipitation. The sensitivity experiments are conducted to examine the effects of the optimized parameters on the predictability of precipitation. The predictability of precipitation is the best when the three optimized parameters are applied to the parameterization at the same time. The first parameter most dominantly affects the predictability of precipitation. Short-range forecasts for July 2018 are also conducted to statistically assess the precipitation predictability. It is found that the predictability of precipitation is consistently improved with the optimized parameters.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.155-165
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• 2005

The characteristics of six precipitation systems occurred around Cheongju in 2002 are analyzed after the convective/stratiform radar echo classification using radar reflectivity from the Meteorological Research Institute"s X-band Doppler weather radar. The Biggerstaff and Listemaa (2000) algorithm is applied for the classification and reveals a physical characteristics of the convective and stratiform rain diagnosed from the three-dimensional structure of the radar reflectivity. The area satisfying the vertical profile of radar reflectivity is well classified, while the area near the radar site and the topography-shielded area show a mis-classification. The seasonal characteristics of the precipitation system are also analyzed using the contoured frequency by altitude diagrams (CFADs). The heights of maximum reflectivity are 4 km and 5.5 km in spring and summer, respectively, and the vertical gradient of radar reflectivity from 1.5 km to the melting layer in spring is larger than in summer.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.241-253
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• 2007

This paper investigates summer precipitation change in East Asia according to switching surface boundary condition over South Korea and Shantung. Simulations are carried out by ECHO-G/S for 20 years (1980-1999). Surface condition over both areas in ECHO-G/S is represented by ocean (OCN experiment). In OCN experiment, the summer precipitation is considerably underestimated around the Korean peninsula (the dry region) and overestimated over the eastern Tibetan Plateau (the wet region). It may be related that the lack of the heat sources from the unrealistically prescribed land-sea mask weakens northward expansion of rainband and the development of convective precipitation. Moreover the simulated rainband retreats before June in connection with the early genesis of summer monsoon circulation. The systematic bias of the summer precipitation over the dry and wet regions are reduced comparing with the OCN experiment when the land-sea masks over South Korea and Shantung are realistically considered as land (LND experiment). These improvements can be explained by the thermodynamical dissimilarity between land and ocean. Enhanced warming by switching the areas from sea to land has led to develop the thermal low over Yellow Sea with the cyclonic circulation. Thus, this cyclonic circulation supports moistures from the south to the dry region and blocks to the wet region. The heat transport from the land surface to atmosphere plays a key role in the developing convective precipitation in local scale and maintaining the precipitation and the rainband. Therefore, this results indicate that the design of the realistic land-sea distribution is required for the accurate simulation of the regional precipitation.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 2002

Theoretical models of radiative transfer are developed to simulate the 85 GHz brightness temperature (T85) observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) radiometer as a function of rain rate. These simulations are performed separately over regions of the convective and stratiform rain. TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) observations are utilized to construct vertical profiles of hydrometeors in the regions. For a given rain rate, the extinction in 85 GHz due to hydrometeors above the freezing level is found to be relatively weak in the convective regions compared to that in the stratiform. The hydrometeor profile above the freezing level responsible for the weak extinction in convective regions is inferred from theoretical considerations to contain two layers: 1) a mixed (or mixed-phase) layer of 2 km thickness with mixed-phase particles, liquid drops and graupel above the freezing level, and 2) a layer of graupel extending from the top of the mixed layer to the cloud top. Strong extinction in the stratiform regions is inferred to result from slowly-falling, low-density ice aggregates (snow) above the freezing level. These theoretical results are consistent with the T85 measured by TMI, and with the rain rate deduced from PR for the convective and stratiform rain regions. On the basis of this study, the accuracy of the rain rate sensed by TMI is inferred to depend critically on the specification of the convective or stratiform nature of the rain.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Atmospheric Sciences
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.587-598
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• 2018

The impacts of aerosol loading on surface precipitation from mid-latitude deep convective systems are examined using a bin microphysics model. For this, a precipitation case over north central Mongolia, which is a high-altitude inland region, on 21 August 2014 is simulated with aerosol number concentrations of 150, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, and $4800cm^{-3}$. The surface precipitation amount slightly decreases with increasing aerosol number concentration in the range of $150-600cm^{-3}$, while it notably increases in the range of $600-4800cm^{-3}$ (22% increase with eightfold aerosol loading). We attempt to explain why the surface precipitation amount increases with increasing aerosol number concentration in the range of $600-4800cm^{-3}$. A higher aerosol number concentration results in more drops of small sizes. More drops of small sizes grow through condensation while being transported upward and some of them freeze, thus increasing the mass content of ice crystals. The increased ice crystal mass content leads to an increase in the mass content of small-sized snow particles largely through deposition, and the increased mass content of small-sized snow particles leads to an increase in the mass content of large-sized snow particles largely through riming. In addition, more drops of small sizes increase the mass content of supercooled drops, which also leads to an increase in the mass content of large-sized snow particles through riming. The increased mass content of large-sized snow particles resulting from these pathways contributes to a larger surface precipitation amount through melting and collision-coalescence.

• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.317-338
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• 2008

Analyses of observational data and numerical simulations were performed to understand the mechanism of MCSs (Mesoscale Convective Systems) occurred on 13-14 July 2004 over Jindo area of the Korean Peninsula. Observations indicated that synoptic environment was favorable for the occurrence of heavy rainfall. This heavy rainfall appeared to have been enhanced by convergence around the Changma front and synoptic scale lifting. From the analyses of storm environment using Haenam upper-air observation data, it was confirmed that strong convective instability was present around the Jindo area. Instability indices such as K-index, SSI-index showed favorable condition for strong convection. In addition, warm advection in the lower troposphere and cold advection in the middle troposphere were detected from wind profiler data. The size of storm, that produced heavy rainfall over Jindo area, was smaller than $50{\times}50km^2$ according to radar observation. The storm developed more than 10 km in height, but high reflectivity (rain rate 30 mm/hr) was limited under 6 km. It can be judged that convection cells, which form cloud clusters, occurred on the inflow area of the Changma front. In numerical simulation, high CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy) was found in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. However, heavy rainfall was restricted to the Jindo area with high CIN (Convective INhibition) and high CAPE. From the observations of vertical drop size distribution from MRR (Micro Rain Radar) and the analyses of numerically simulated hydrometeors such as graupel etc., it can be inferred that melted graupels enhanced collision and coalescence process of heavy precipitation systems.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.289-302
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• 2017

During the research period, error analysis of the amount of daily precipitation was performed with data obtained from 2DVD, Parsivel, and AWS, and from the results, 79 days were selected as research days. According to the results of a synoptic meteorological analysis, these days were classified into 'LP type, CF type, HE type, and TY type'. The dates showing the maximum daily precipitation amount and precipitation intensity were 'HE type and CF type', which were found to be attributed to atmospheric instability causing strong ascending flow, and leading to strong precipitation events. Of the 79 days, most days were found to be of the LP type. On July 27, 2011 the daily precipitation amount in the Korean Peninsula reached over 80 mm (HE type). The leading edge of the Northern Pacific high pressure was located over the Korean Peninsula with unstable atmospheric conditions and inflow of air with high temperature and high humidity caused ascending flow, 120 mm/h with an average precipitation intensity of over 9.57 mm/h. Considering these characteristics, precipitation in these sample dates could be classified into the convective rain type. The results of a precipitation scale distribution analysis showed that most precipitation were between 0.4-5.0 mm, and 'Rain' size precipitation was observed in most areas. On July 9, 2011, the daily precipitation amount was recorded to be over 80 mm (CF type) at the rainy season front (Jangma front) spreading across the middle Korean Peninsular. Inflow of air with high temperature and high humidity created unstable atmospheric conditions under which strong ascending air currents formed and led to convective rain type precipitation.