• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.394-410
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• 2015

This study aims to classify climate zones for extreme climate indices over the Republic of Korea. First, frequencies and magitudes of extreme high temperature, spatial distributions for extreme low temperature, and extreme precipitation are analysed. Frequencies of summer days in inland region show more than coastal region. In frequencies of frost days, the characteristics of altitude and longitude are appeared. Heavy precipitation days show many frequencies in the southern coastal region and Jeju island, but little in Gyeongsangbuk-do region. The classification of climate zone for extreme climate indices by principal component analysis and cluster analysis is conducted for the first half, second half of study period, and climatology period for 1981-2010. Summer days are classified according to latitude. In case of frost days, the eastern and the southern coastal region and Jeju island are classified as same region. Heavy precipitation days are classified according to longitude in south region of Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do. This study will help to prepare adaptation and mitigation system for climate change in wide range of fields.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2018

Previous studies have indicated a great regional difference in Sea Level Rise (SLR) in the Pacific and it has been suggested that this is linked to climate variability over the past two decades. In this study, we seek to identify the possible linkage between regional sea level and Pacific climate variability from altimetry-based sea level data (1993-2012) and further investigate how the Pacific sea level has changed spatially and temporally over the past 60 years from long-term sea level reconstruction data (1953-2008). Based on the same method as Zhang and Church (2012), the Inter-annual Climate Index (ICI) associated with the El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o-Southern$ Oscillation (ENSO) and the Decadal Climate Index (DCI) associated with Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are defined and then the multiple variable linear regression is used to analyze quantitatively the impact of inter-annual and decadal climate variability on the regional sea levels in the Pacific. During the altimeter period, the ICI that represents ENSO influence on inter-annual time scales strongly impacts in a striking east-west "see-saw mode" on sea levels across the tropical Pacific. On the other hand, the decadal sea level pattern that is linked to the DCI has a broad meridional structure that is roughly symmetric in the equator with its North Pacific expression being similar to the PDO, which largely contributes to a positive SLR trend in the western Pacific and a negative trend in the eastern Pacific over the two most recent decades. Using long-term sea level reconstruction data, we found that the Pacific sea levels have fluctuated in the past over inter-annual and decadal time scales and that strong regional differences are presented. Of particular interest is that the SLR reveals a decadal shift and presents an opposite trend before and after the mid-1980s; i.e., a declining (rising) trend in the western (eastern) Pacific before the mid-1980s, followed by a rising (declining) trend from the mid-1980s onward in the western (eastern) Pacific. This result indicates that the recent SLR patterns revealed from the altimeters have been persistent at least since the mid-1980s.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.171-183
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• 2007

Trends of daily maximum and minimum temperatures in major cities of South Korea (Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, and Ulsan) during the past 40 years (1961-2000) were investigated. Temperature records for the Chupungryeong station were compared with those of the large cities because of the rural environment of the station. There were distinct warming trends at all stations, although the warming rates depend on each station's local climate and environment. The warming rates in Korea are much greater than the global warming trends, by a factor of 3 to 4. The most increasing rate in daily maximum temperature was at Busan with $0.43^{\circ}C$ per decade, the most increasing rate in daily minimum temperature was at Daegu with $0.44^{\circ}C$ per decade. In general, the warming trends of the cities were most pronounced in winter season with an increasing rate of $0.5^{\circ}C$/decade at least. Diurnal temperature range shows positive or negative trends according to the regional climate and environmental change. The frequency distribution of the daily temperatures for the past 40 years at Seoul and Chupungryeong shows that there have been reductions in cold day frequencies at both stations. The results imply that the impacts on human health might be positive in winter and adverse in summer if the regional warming scenario by the current regional climate model reflects future climate change in Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.23-38
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• 2007

Based on a time series of ocean climate indices and catch records for seven pelagic fish species in the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and Kuroshio-Oyashio Current (KOC) regions from 1910 to 2004, we detected regional synchrony in the long-term fluctuations of the fish populations and identified alternation patterns of dominant species related to climate shifts. The annual catches of Pacific herring, Japanese sardines, Japanese anchovies, jack mackerel, chub mackerel, Pacific saury and common squid in the TWC region fluctuated in phase with those in the KOC region, which suggests that they were controlled by the same basin-wide climate forcing. After the collapse of the herring fishery, the alternation sequence was: sardines (1930s), Pacific saury, jack mackerel, common squid and anchovies ($1950s{\sim}1960s$), herring ($late\;1960s{\sim}early\;1970s$), chub mackerel (1970s) and then sardines (1980s). As sardine biomass decreased in the late stages of the cool regime, catch of the other four species increased immediately during the warm period of the 1990s. Regional differences in the amplitude of long-term catch fluctuations for the seven pelagic fishes could be explained by regional differences in availability, fishing techniques and activity.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.16-33
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• 2010

This study carefully selected weather and plantation-related records from Sinjeung "Donggukyeojiseungram"("新增東國輿地勝覽") and "Taekliji"("擇里志") and examined their climate and vegetational significance as research ancient Korean documents. Both documents include several counts of detailed descriptions of and the interest in the natural environment and ecology shown by the residents of the region in the 14th and 15th centuries and the 18th century. Utilizing these records is believe to understand and restore the meteorological environment, regional climate characteristics, climate in mountainous regions, temperature and precipitative distribution, and vegetation of the south coastal region and the southern, central and northern regions of those times. Such prospect, this author hopes, will spark specific discussion of research methodology of ecological landscape and physical geography based on ancient Korean documents.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.735-743
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• 2012

Since the CBD(Conservation on Biological Diversity)'s 10th Conference of the Parties adopted the protocol on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing in Nagoya 2010, the importance of endangered species studies such as habitat distribution, protection and management have been more emerged. Corylopsis coreana, an endangered species in Korea, was isolated nationally and has been damaged by anthropogenic factors. In this paper, we identified the factors affecting C. coreana habitat at the national scale and regional scale using National Survey of Natural Environment and predicted the distribution of C. coreana. Annual precipitation, precipitation of wettest quarter, temperature seasonality and Digital Elevation Model(DEM) were derived as important factors at the national scale, and precipitation of wettest quarter, DEM and solar radiation on spring were identified as important factors at regional scale. Colylopsis distribution was affected by an effect of climate significantly at the national scale, and by additionally the microclimate and topography at regional scale. These findings will be used as the basis on habitat conservation and restoration plan and climate change.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2005

Due to several difficulties, a number of Automatic Weather Systems (AWS) operated by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) are located on the rooftop so that the forming of standard observation environment to obtain the accuracy is needed. Therefore, the air temperature of AWSs on the synthetic lawn and the concrete of the rooftop is compared with the standard observation temperature. The hourly mean temperature is obtained by monthly and hourly mean value and the difference of temperature is calculated according to the location, the weather phenomenon, and cloud amount. The maximum and the minimum temperatures are compared by the conditions, such as cloud amount, the existence of precipitation or not. Consequently, the temperature on the synthetic lawn is higher than it on the concrete so that it is difficult to obtain same effect from ASOS, on the contrary the installation of AWS on the synthetic lawn seem to be inadequate due to heat or cold source of the building.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.549-558
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• 2014

Occurrence frequency of flood and drought tends to increase in last a few decades, leading to social and economic damage since the abnormality of climate changes is one of the causes for hydrologic facilities by exceedance its designed tolerance. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used in the study to estimate temporal variance of groundwater recharge and baseflow. It was limited to consider recession curve coefficients in SWAT model calibration process, thus the recession curve coefficient was estimated by the Baseflow Filter Program (BFLOW) before SWAT model calibration. Precipitation data were estimated for 2014 to 2100 using three models which are GFDL-ESM2G, IPSL-CM5A-LR, and MIROC-ESM with Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenario. SWAT model was calibrated for the Soyang watershed with NSE of 0.83, and $R^2$ of 0.89. The percentage to precipitation of groundwater recharge and baseflow were 27.6% and 17.1% respectively in 2009. Streamflow, groundwater recharge, and baseflow were estimated to be increased with the estimated precipitation data. GFDL-ESM2g model provided the most large precipitation data in the 2025s, and IPSL-CM5A-LR provided the most large precipitation data in the 2055s and 2085s. Overall, groundwater recharge and baseflow displayed similar trend to the estimated precipitation data.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the vulnerability of the human health sector to $PM_{10}$ due to climate change in Incheon over the period of 2005-2014. Methods: Vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ consists of the three categories of climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The indexes for climate exposure and sensitivity indicate positive effects, while adaptive capacity shows a negative effect on vulnerability to $PM_{10}$. The variables in each category were standardized by the rescaling method, and respective relative regional vulnerability was analyzed through the vulnerability index calculation formula of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Results: Regions with a high exposure index were the western and northern urban areas with industrial complexes adjacent to a highway, including Bupyong-gu and Seo-gu. Major factors determining the climate exposure index were the $PM_{10}$ concentration, days of $PM_{10}$ >= $100{\mu}g/m^3$, and $PM_{10}$ emissions. The regions showing a high sensitivity index were urban regions with high populations; these commonly had a high mortality rate for related diseases and vulnerable populations. Conclusions: This study is able to support regionally adjusted adaptation policies and the quantitative background of policy priority since it provides information on the regional health vulnerability to $PM_{10}$ due to climate change in Incheon.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.6B
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• pp.561-569
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• 2010

In this study, the impact of climate change on extreme drought events is investigated by comparing drought severity-area-duration curves under present and future climate. The depth-area-duration analysis for characterizing an extreme precipitation event provides a basis for analysing drought events when storm depth is replaced by an appropriate measure of drought severity. In our climate-change impact experiments, the future monthly precipitation time series is based on a KMA regional climate model which has a $27km{\times}27km$ spatial resolution, and the drought severity is computed using the standardized precipitation index. As a result, agricultural drought risk is likely to increase especially in short duration, while hydrologic drought risk will greatly increase in all durations. Such results indicate that a climate change vulnerability assessment for present water resources supply system is urgent.