• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.485-492
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• 2008

This study confirms that a decadal variation of the SST (Sea Surface Temperature) in the WNP (Western North Pacific) has an influence on the genesis and passage ofa Tropical Cyclone. The decadal mode was obtained by calculating the SST anomaly on the domain $150^{\circ}E-190^{\circ}E$, and $5^{\circ}S-5^{\circ}N$. Such decadal variation was subsequently analyzed to confirm that it is a dominant mode in central Pacific region. Next, after classifying the years into relatively positive years and relatively negative years, the characteristics of Tropical Cyclone in each year, such as a genesis and passage frequency, were investigated. Compared to the relatively negative years, during the relatively positive years, the location of Tropical Cyclone genesis was biased toward South-Eastern region, while the characteristics of the cyclone were more distinct during late season of the year trom September to December than in mid season from June to August. Examining the movement passage through the observation of passage fiequency, there was a significant difference between positive year and negative year in their passages at a 90% confidence level. Moreover, the number of Tropical Cyclone, maximum wind, and life time also showed higher values in positive years than in negative years. These features were confirmed by examining the 850hPa cyclonic flow field, vorticity field, and vertical wind shear field, all of which contribute to the genesis of a Tropical Cyclone.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2021

The relationship between the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and surface air temperature (SAT) over Korea is re-examined using the long-term observation and reanalysis datasets for the period of December 1958 to February 2020. Over the entire period, Korean SAT is positively correlated with the AO index with a statistically significant correlation coefficient, greater than 0.4, only in the boreal winter. It is found that this correlation is not static but changes on the decadal time scale. While the 15-year moving correlations are as high as 0.6 in 1980s and 1990s, they are smaller than 0.3 in the other decades. It is revealed that this decadal variation is partly due to the AO structure change over the North Pacific. In the period of 1980s-1990s, the AO-related sea level pressure fluctuation is strong and well defined over the western North Pacific and the related temperature advection effectively changes the winter SAT over Korea. In the other periods, the AO-related circulation anomaly is either weak or mostly confined within the central North Pacific. This result suggests that Korean SAT-AO index relationship, which becomes insignificant in recent decades is highly dependent on mean flow change in the North Pacific.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.893-905
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• 2015

This study analyzes the correlation between Western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern index (WPI) in April during 1954-2008 and rainfall amounts in the same month. Based on the results, it is identified that there have been strong positive correlations between central China, Korea and the southwestern part of Japan in the East Asian region. Through differences between 10 positive WP years and 10 negative WP years selected from the April WPI excluding ENSO years, it is found that rainfall amounts increase in April of positive WP years due to the following characteristics. Increases in rainfall amounts are evident in the East Asian middle latitudinal region where the positive correlation between the two variables is the highest and this is because anomalous southwesterlies are strengthened in the East Asian middle latitudinal region due to the spatial pattern of a south-low-north-high anomalous pressure system centered on this region that is made by anomalous anticyclones centered on the southeastern side of the region and other anomalous anticyclones centered on the northeastern side of the region. In addition, anomalous westerlies (jet) are strengthen in the upper troposphere of the East Asian middle latitudinal region and as a result, anomalous upward flows are strengthened in this region and thus anomalous warm air temperatures are formed in the entire level of the troposphere in the region. In addition to atmospheric environments, anomalous warm sea surface temperatures are formed in the seas in the East Asian middle latitudinal region to help the rainfall amount increases in the East Asian middle latitudinal region.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.631-639
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• 2007

We examined diurnal and seasonal variations of ozone ($O_3$) concentrations and its relation to meteorological parameters observed at the Ieodo Ocean Research Station ($32.07^{\circ}N$, $125.10^{\circ}E$, 36 m above sea level) during June 2003 and May 2005. Over the 2-year period, the mean ozone concentration was $49.5{\pm}15.5\;ppbv$. Ozone concentrations show great variability with a monthly mean up to 68.2 ppbv in May 2005 and seasonal variations with being highest in spring and fall, and lowest in summer. However, the amplitude of diurnal variation was less than ${\sim}4\;ppbv$ with a maximum at $3{\sim}4\;p.m.$ and minimum at $7{\sim}8\;a.m.$ HYSPLIT backward air trajectory indicated that the air masses with higher ozone came from the north or northwest and those with lower ozone arrived mainly via southerly or southeasterly. Ozone distributions at Ieodo Ocean Research Station were observed to be significantly impacted by long-range transport and regional scale air circulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2012

Long term changes in winter time(JFM) sea surface temperature(SST) and marine ecosystem of different Korean waters during last five to six decades were illustrated. Fishing intensity with climate-ocean variability(e.g. SST) have been increasing since 1970s in all of the Korean marine waters. Winter SST around Korean waters went to colder regime in early 1980s and after the late 1980s increased gradually. After 1988/89 CRS all of the waterbody started warmer regime and well coincided with the CRS phenomena. Large predatory, small pelagic and crustacean and mollusks abundance were well coincided by the warmer SST regime after 1988/89 CRS and changed the fishery from demersal fishery to pelagic fishery. Ecosystem parameter of Mean Trophic Level(MTL) showed continuous decreasing trend since mid of 1970s which was mostly affected by the increasing of lower trophic level species. Fishing in balance(FIB) index showed increasing pattern since early 1970s to the late of 1970s and from early 1980s it was almost stable until now. Finally wasp-waist population of anchovy and Japanese sardine have a greater impact to the whole MTL since early 1970s.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.249-258
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• 2013

Vertical and horizontal mixing processes in the ocean mixed layer determine sea surface temperature and temperature variability. Accordingly, simulating these processes properly is crucial in order to obtain more accurate climate simulations and more reliable future projections using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM). In this study, by using Modular Ocean Model version 4 (MOM4) developed by Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, the upper ocean temperature and mixed layer depth were simulated with two different vertical mixing schemes that are most widely used and then compared. The resultant differences were analyzed to understand the underlying mechanism, especially in the Tropical Pacific Ocean where the differences appeared to be the greatest. One of the schemes was the so-called KPP scheme that uses K-Profile parameterization with nonlocal vertical mixing and the other was the N scheme that was rather recently developed based on a second-order turbulence closure. In the equatorial Pacific, the N scheme simulates the mixed layer at a deeper level than the KPP scheme. One of the reasons is that the total vertical diffusivity coefficient simulated with the N scheme is ten times larger, at maximum, in the surface layer compared to the KPP scheme. Another reason is that the zonal current simulated with the N scheme peaks at a deeper ocean level than the KPP scheme, which indicates that the vertical shear was simulated on a larger scale by the N scheme and it enhanced the mixed layer depth. It is notable that while the N scheme simulates a deeper mixed layer in the equatorial Pacific compared to the KPP scheme, the sea surface temperature (SST) simulated with the N scheme was cooler in the central Pacific and warmer in the eastern Pacific. We postulated that the reason for this is that in the central Pacific atmospheric forcing plays an important role in determining SST and so does a strong upwelling in the eastern Pacific. In conclusion, what determines SST is crucial in interpreting the relationship between SST and mixed layer depth.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.309-319
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• 2011

This is a preliminary study of the feasibility of obtaining reliable tidal current harmonic constants, using one month of current observations, to verify the accuracy of a tidal model. An inference method is commonly used to separate out the tidal harmonic constituents when the available data spans less than a synodic period. In contrast to tidal constituents, studies of the separation of tidal-current harmonics are rare, basically due to a dearth of the long-term observation data needed for such experiments. We conducted concurrent and monthly harmonic analyses for tidal current velocities and heights, using 2 years (2006 and 2007) of current and sea-level records obtained from the Tidal Current Signal Station located in the narrow waterway in front of Incheon Lock, Korea. Firstly, the l-year harmonic analyses showed that, with the exception of $M_2$ and $S_2$ semidiurnal constituents, the major constituents were different for the tidal currents and heights. $K_1$, for instance, was found to be the 4th major tidal constituent but not an important tidal current constituent. Secondly, we examined monthly variation in the amplitudes and phase-lags of the $S_2$ and $K_1$ current-velocity and tide constituents over a 23-month period. The resultant patterns of variation in the amplitudes and phase-lags of the $S_2$ tidal currents and tides were similar, exhibiting a sine curve form with a 6-month period. Similarly, variation in the $K_1$ tidal constant and tidal current-velocity phase lags showed a sine curve pattern with a 6-month period. However, that of the $K_1$ tidal current-velocity amplitude showed a somewhat irregular sine curve pattern. Lastly, we investigated and tested the inference methods available for separating the $K_2$ and $S_2$ current-velocity constituents via monthly harmonic analysis. We compared the effects of reduction in monthly variability in tidal harmonic constants of the $S_2$ current-velocity constituent using three different inference methods and that of Schureman (1976). Specifically, to separate out the two constituents ($S_2$ and $K_2$), we used three different inference parameter (i.e. amplitude ratio and phase-lag diggerence) values derived from the 1-year harmonic analyses of current-velocities and tidal heights at (near) the short-term observation station and from tidal potential (TP), together with Schureman's (1976) inference (SI). Results from these four different methods reveal that TP and SI are satisfactorily applicable where results of long-term harmonic analysis are not available. We also discussed how to further reduce the monthly variability in $S_2$ tidal current-velocity constants.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.5_1
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• pp.467-479
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• 2023

Satellite altimeters have continuously observed sea surface height (SSH) in the global ocean for the past 30 years, providing clear evidence of the rise in global mean sea level based on observational data. Accurate altimeter-observed SSH is essential to study the spatial and temporal variability of SSH in regional seas. In this study, we used measurements from the Ieodo Ocean Research Station (IORS) and validate SSHs observed by satellite altimeters (Envisat, Jason-1, Jason-2, SARAL, Jason-3, and Sentinel-3A/B). Bias and root mean square error of SSH for each satellite ranged from 1.58 to 4.69 cm and 6.33 to 9.67 cm, respectively. As the matchup distance between satellite ground tracks and the IORS increased, the error of satellite SSHs significantly amplified. In order to validate the correction of the tide and atmospheric effect of the satellite data, the tide was estimated using harmonic analysis, and inverse barometer effect was calculated using atmospheric pressure data at the IORS. To achieve accurate tidal corrections for satellite SSH data in the seas around the Korean Peninsula, it was confirmed that improving the accuracy of tide data used in satellites is necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.33 no.1_2
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• pp.25-35
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• 2021

In this study, we identified characteristics of heatwaves on the Korean Peninsula and related atmospheric circulation patterns using data on the daily maximum temperature (TMX) and reanalysis data for the past 42 years (1979-2020) and analyzed their connection to the Arctic oscillation (AO). The heatwave on the Korean Peninsula showed to be stronger and more frequent in the 2000s. The recent strong and frequent heatwaves on the Korean Peninsula are mainly affected by abnormal high-pressure over the Korean Peninsula on the middle/upper-level atmosphere and the strengthening of the North Pacific high pressure. Interestingly, composite difference of sea level pressure showed very similar results to the positive AO pattern. The correlation coefficients between the summertime AO and the TMX and HWD of the Korean Peninsula were 0.407 and 0.437, respectively, which showed a statistical significance in 1%, and showed a clear relationship with the abnormal high-pressure over the Korean Peninsula and the strengthening of the North Pacific high pressure. In addition, in the positive AO phase, the TMX and HWD of the Korean peninsula were approximately 30.1 ℃ and 14.6 days, which were about 1.2 ℃ and 8.8 days higher than in the negative AO phase, respectively. As a result of the 15-year moving average correlation analysis, the relationship between the heatwave and AO on the Korean Peninsula has increased significantly since 2003, and the linear relationship between them has become more apparent. Moreover, after the 2000s, when the relationship developed, AO had more strongly induced the atmospheric circulation pattern to be more favorable to the occurrence of heatwaves in the Korean Peninsula. This study implies that understanding the AO, which is the large-scale variability in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Arctic-mid latitude teleconnection, can improve the performance of global climate models and help predict the seasonality of the summer heatwave on the Korean Peninsula.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.307-320
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• 2021

Udo Rhodolith Beach is a small-scale, mixed sand-and-gravel beach embayed on the N-S trending rocky coast of Udo, Jeju Island, South Korea. This study analyzes the short-term topographic changes of the beach during the extreme storm conditions of four typhoons from 2016 to 2020: Chaba (2016), Soulik (2018), Lingling (2019), and Maysak (2020). The analysis uses the topographic data of terrestrial LiDAR scanning and drone photogrammetry, aided by weather and oceanographic datasets of wind, wave, current and tide. The analysis suggests two contrasting features of alongshore topographic change depending on the typhoon pathway, although the intensity and duration of the storm conditions differed in each case. During the Soulik and Lingling events, which moved northward following the western sea of the Jeju Island, the northern part of the beach accreted while the southern part eroded. In contrast, the Chaba and Maysak events passed over the eastern sea of Jeju Island. The central part of the beach was then significantly eroded while sediments accumulated mainly at the northern and southern ends of the beach. Based on the wave and current measurements in the nearshore zone and computer simulations of the wave field, it was inferred that the observed topographic change of the beach after the storm events is related to the directions of the wind-driven current and wave propagation in the nearshore zone. The dominant direction of water movement was southeastward and northeastward when the typhoon pathway lay to the east or west of Jeju Island, respectively. As these enhanced waves and currents approached obliquely to the N-S trending coastline, the beach sediments were reworked and transported southward or northward mainly by longshore currents, which likely acts as a major control mechanism regarding alongshore topographic change with respect to Udo Rhodolith Beach. In contrast to the topographic change, the subaerial volume of the beach overall increased after all storms except for Maysak. The volume increase was attributed to the enhanced transport of onshore sediment under the combined effect of storm-induced long periodic waves and a strong residual component of the near-bottom current. In the Maysak event, the raised sea level during the spring tide probably enhanced the backshore erosion by storm waves, eventually causing sediment loss to the inland area.