• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.433-449
• /
• 2006

Temporal and spatial variations of precipitation in South Korea are investigated using 60 observation data of the recent 30-years from 1976 to 2005. The area averaged annual precipitation amount is about 1310 mm and shows a strong spatial variation, maximum at the southern and Kyoungki province (>1300 mm) and minimum at the Kyungpook province(<1100 mm). The precipitation days show a strong spatial variation with maximum at the Sobaik mountain region(>100 days) and minimum at the Kyungpook province (<90 days). The interannual variations (IAV) of precipitation amount and days are more significant at the southern and eastern part of Sobaik and Taebaik mountain, and along the Sobaik mountain, respectively. So, the difference of annual precipitation amount reaches to about 800mm between wet and dry years at the southern part of Korean peninsula. Whereas, the IAV of precipitation intensity is strong at the southern and middle part of South Korea with a minimum between two maxima. Also, seasonal variations are closely linked with the geographic environments (elevation, distance from ocean, location relative to the Taebaik mountain). Therefore, maximum and minimum of seasonal variations of precipitation are occurred at the northern inland region (ratio of summer to the annual precipitation (RSAP) is greater than 60%), eastern and southern coastal regions (RSAP is less than 53%),respectively. And the RSAP is slightly increased from 50% to 55% comparing the Ho and Kang (1988). The consistent and strong positive relation between the heavy rainfalls, the ratio of heavy rainfalls to annual precipitation and the annual precipitation indicates that heavy rainfall is more frequent and strong at the maximum annual precipitation region.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.33 no.spc3
• /
• pp.325-336
• /
• 2011

Seasonal to inter-annual variations of water properties in the western channel of the Korea Strait are investigated using quasi-monthly hydrographic observations collected during 2006-2010. Weak vertical temperature and salinity gradients are observed during the winter months and these remain until May. At the upper layer, temperature increases from March and reaches a maximum in August, while salinity decreases during the same period. Near-bottom water shows low temperatures during late winter and fall with a minimum peak in September. Korea Strait Bottom Cold Water produces thick layers (>20 m) in 2006 and 2010, while it is observed very near the bottom with relatively high temperature in 2008 and 2009.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.4
• /
• pp.471-476
• /
• 2010

Monthly up-river discharge in the riverine zone analysis resulted in large interannual variations and differences in calcium ($Ca^{2+}$), bicarbonate ($HCO_3^-$), and cations in the lacustrine zone (Lz) of Daecheong Reservoir during the wet year (Wy, 1993) vs. dry year (Dy, 1994). Total up-river discharge in the Wy was four times that of the Dy, and the up-river discharge in July~August of the Wy was eight times greater than that of same period of Dy. Annual water retention time in the Lz showed large difference between the two years. Water residence time (WRT) was minimum when the up-river discharge peaked, whereas the WRT was maximum when the up-river discharge was at minimal condition. This peak discharge from the up-river on early July reduced residence time in the Lz on mid-July~late July. Monthly pattern, based on data of May~November, was similar between the two years, but, but mean retention time in the Wy was 50 days shorter than in the Dy. Such hydrology, up-river discharge, and WRT reduced $Ca^{2+}$, $HCO_3^-$, and cations in the Lz. At low up-river discharge in Wy during April~May, the cation content of Ca+Mg+Na+K averaged 1.17meq $L^{-1}$ (range=1.09-1.26meq $L^{-1}$), but as the up-river discharge increased suddenly, the values decreased. Seasonal fluctuations of $Ca^{2+}$ showed exactly same pattern with bicarbonate ion of $HCO_3^-$. The minimum $Ca^{2+}$ (0.03meq $L^{-1}$) was occurred in the early August of wet year and coincided with the minimum $HCO_3^-$. These results suggest that the magnitude of variation in $Ca^{2+}$, bicarbonate, and cations in the lacustrine zone is directly determined by the peak magnitude of up-river discharge. The magnitude of up-river discharge determined water retention time and the magnitude of ionic dilution in the lacustrine zone, resulting in functional changes of the ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.319-337
• /
• 2010

Major objective of this study was to determine interannual and seasonal water quality along with characteristics of longitudinal gradients along the reservoir axis of the riverine zone (Rz)-to-lacustrine zone (Lz). Water quality dataset of five years during 2003~2007 used here were obtained from Ministry of Environment, Korea and ten physical, chemical and biological parameters were analyzed in the study. Similarity analysis, based on moropho-hydrological variables of reservoir surface area, watershed area, total inflow, and outflow, showed that the reservoirs were categorized as three groups of large-dam reservoirs (Chungju Reservoir, Daecheong Reservoir and Soyang Reservoir), mid-size reservoirs (Andong Reservoir, Yongdam Reservoir, Juam Reservoir and Hapcheon Reservoir), and small-size reservoirs (Hoengseong Reservoir and Buan Reservoir). According to the data comparison of high-flow year (2003) vs. lowflow year (2005), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids (SS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll-a (CHL) and electrical conductivity (EC) declined along the longitudinal axis of Rz to Lz and water transparency, based on Secchi depth (SD), increased along the axis. These results indicate that transparency was a function of Values of pH, DO, SS, SD, and EC at each site were greater in the low-flow year (2005) than the high-flow year (2003), whereas values of BOD, COD, TN, TP and CHL were greater in the high-flow year (2003). When values of TN, TP, CHL and SD in nine reservoirs were compared in the three zones of Rz, Tz, and Lz, values of TN, TP and CHL declined along longitudinal gradients and SD showed the opposite due to the sedimentation processes from the water column. Values of TN were not statistically correlated with TP values. The empirical linear models of TP-CHL and CHL-SD showed significant (p<0.05, $R^2$>0.04). In the mid-size reservoirs, the variation of CHL was explained ($R^2$=0.2401, p<0.0001, n=239) by the variation of TP. The affinities in the correlation analysis of mid-size reservoirs were greater in the CHL-SD model than any other empirical models, and the CHL-SD model had an inverse relations. In the meantime, water quality variations was evidently greater in Daecheong Reservoir than two reservoirs of Andong Reservoir and Hoengseong Reservoir as a result of large differences of water quality by long distance among Rz, Tz and Lz.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.35 no.1 s.97
• /
• pp.36-44
• /
• 2002

The spatial and temporal trends of water qualities in Lake Soyang was statistically analyzed in this study. The water qualities include nutrients, ionic contents and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) measured during 1993${\sim}$2000. The rainfall intensity and runoff from the catchment appeared to play an important role in water quality trends in the lake. According to seasonal Mann-Kendall test, conductivity, TP, and Ctl-a did not show any trends of increase or decrease over the 8 year period, while TN declined slightly. It was found that the variation of TP was a function of interannual inflow and rainfall. In the analyses of spatial trend, conductivity, based on the mean by site, showed a downlake decline over the eight year period. Minimum conductivity was found in the headwaters during summer monsoon of July to August and near the dam during October. This result indicates a time-lag phenomenon that the headwater is diluted by rainwater immediately after summer monsoon rain and then the lake water near the dam is completely diluted in October. During summer period, TP and TN had an inverse relation with conductivity values. Concentrations of TP peaked during July to September in the headwaters and during September in the downlake. Also, TN increase during the summer and was more than 1.5 mg/L regardless of season and location, indicating a consistent eutrophic state. Values of Chl-a varied depending on location and season, but peaked in the midlake rather than in the headwaters during the monsoon. Regression analyses of log-transformed seasonal Chl-a against TP showed that value of $R^2$ was below 0.003 in the premonsoon and monsoon seasons but was 0.82 during the postmonsoon, indicating a greater algal response to the phosphorus during the postmonsoon. In contrast, TN had no any relations with Chl-a during all seasons.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.94-110
• /
• 2003

This study utilizes the dataset of Topex/Poseidon(T/P) altimeter sea surface height (1992-2000 yr., 286 cycles)to investigate the tempore-spatial variability in the East (Japan) Sea. Optimal interpolation (Ol) technique was applied to the pre-processed T/P dataset (level 2) to produce sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) map on regular grids. Spectral analyses of the timeseries of the SSHA at chosen stations and empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the SSHA in the entire East Sea were made. Distribution of the SSHA can be divided by the southern and northern regions sharply by the polar front situated in the middle of the East Sea. The southern region under the direct influence of the Tsushima Current exhibits higher amplitude of the SSHA fluctuation, while the northern region does relatively smaller one. The spatio-temporal variability of the SSHA in the East Sea can be characterized by the five modes of the EOFs accounting for more than 85% of the total variance. The first mode dominates the SSHA variation in the entire domain with strong seasonal and inter-annual periods accounting for the 72.3% of the total variance. The other modes (up to 5th account for 14%) are responsible for the SSHA variation associated with the local current system, meandering of the polar frontal axis, and mesoscale eddies. Spectral peaks with significant confluence level show semi-annual, annual and interannual (2, 3-4 years) periods.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.1 s.93
• /
• pp.9-19
• /
• 2001

contrasting monsoon between 1993 and 1994 produced an interannual difference in hydrology. Theoretical water residence time (TWRT) in monsoon 1993 averaged 27 d, which was>3 months shorter compared to the TWRT in monsoon 1994. A dominant physical process influencing thermal stratification, water movement, and mixing regime was an interflow current in 1993. During summer 1993, river water plunged to mid-lake (location 27 km) and passed through the 10${\sim}$20m stratum of the reservoir, resulting in an isolation of epilimnetic lake water from advected river water. The interflow disrupted thermal stratification and produced a meta-hypolimnetic warming of >4$^{\circ}C$ downlake, thereby increased a mixing depth (>13 m). In contrast, during monsoon 1994 density currents were not observed and strong thermal stratification occurred in the entire reservoir, resulting in > 2 fold greater thermal resistance (8.2${\times}10^{5}$ erg)compared to 1993 (4.0${\times}10^{5}$ erg). This reservoir was identified as a typical warm monomictic reservoir which showed one mixis during early winter. The timing of overturn, however, differed between the two years as a result of distinct contrast in TWRT and thermal regime; overturn in 1993 occured about one month earlier relative to that in 1994. Hypolimnetic warming was predictable in this system; the variation in discharge accounted (Y = 4.35-0.06X+0.10X$^{2}$, p<0.0001)for 98% of the interannual variation in hypolimnetic temperature. Overall data suggest that thermal stability, the timing of fall overturn, and water residence time in this system are primarily regulated by the intensity of monsoon.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.33 no.3 s.91
• /
• pp.213-221
• /
• 2000

Seasonal oxygen content and deficit rates were evaluated from 17 sites of Taechung Reservoir during 1993${\sim}$1994. In 1993, river inflows peaked during the monsoon in July${\sim}$August and disrupted thermal stratification and anoxic layers in the headwaters, thereby confining the anoxia to the mid-lake and downlake reach. The volume of anoxic water with < 4 mg/l DO comprised only < 10% of the total lake volume in this period. In contrast, during monsoon 1994, 85% of total lake volume was subject to hypoxic conditions with oxygen concentrations < 30% saturation, resulting in massive fishkills (Hypomesus olidus). Relative areal oxygen deficit (RAOD) was -0.024mg O$_{2}$cm$^{-2}$d$^{-1}$ during monsoon 1993, whereas it rapidly decreased at the rate of 0.080mg O$_{2}$cm$^{-2}$d$^{-1}$ during monsoon 1994. Anoxic factor (AF) showed a same interannual pattern as the RAOD and was greater >50 d in 1994 (76.5 d) than 1993 (21.3 d). Thus, the reservoir showed a river-characteristics (6${\sim}$11 mg/l DO) in 1993 while lacustrine conditions (<4mg/l DO) dominated in 1994. Regression analysis showed that the variation of summer DO was mostly determined (R$^{2}$=0.99, p<0.0001) by inflow. These findings suggest that the primary factor regulating the oxygen content in this system during summer is an intensity of the monsoon rain.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.186-194
• /
• 2000

In this study, the oceanic responses to given atmospheric boundary conditions are investigated using a mesoscale ocean circulation model. The numerical experiments are divided into two parts: One is, so called, spin-up experiment and the other is reproduction experiment. The spin-up experiment simulates climatic state of ocean by integrating the ocean model with upper boundary conditions of the monthly mean atmospheric climate data. In the reproduction experiment, for the reproduction of major oceanic changes around Korean Peninsula during the period of 1980-1998 (19 years), the model has been integrated under the boundary condition of the 19year monthly mean atmosphere data. The spined-up state of ocean generated from the spin-up experiment is assigned to the initial boundary condition of the reproduction experiment. In the spin-up experiment, the model properly simulates the major features of circulation structure around Korean Peninsula; such as separation of East Korean Warm Current (EKWC), formation of the polar front, cold water band associated with the small scale eddies in the East Sea, the formation of front along west coast, and the seasonal variation of circulation pattern caused by changing upwind current in the West Sea. In the reproduction experiment, the model has shown the interannual sea surface temperature variations and a warming trend of about 0.5$^{\circ}$C during the period around Korean Peninsula, as in the case of the observation. Therefore, it is concluded that the model is capable of simulating not only the mean states but also the variabilities of ocean under the given atmosphere boundary conditions.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.382-393
• /
• 2009

The objectives of this study were to characterize long-term annual and seasonal trophic state of Topjeong Reservoir using conventional variables of Trophic State Index (TSI) and to determine the empirical relations between the trophic parameters. For the analysis, we used water quality dataset of 1995$\sim$2007, which is obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Korea and the number of parameters was 9. Annual ambient mean values of TN and TP were 1.78 mg $L^{-1}$ and 0.03 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively and TN : TP ratios averaged 76, indicating that this system was nitrogen-rich hypertrophic, and was probably phosphorus-limitation for algal growth. Therefore, nitrogen varied little with seasons and years, and total phosphorus (TP) varied depending on season and year. Monsoon dilutions of TP occurred in August and monthly fluctuations of suspended solid (SS) was similar to those of chlorophyll-$\alpha$ (CHL). Annual mean values of BOD and $COD_{Mn}$ were 1.61 mg $L^{-1}$ and 4.23 mg $L^{-1}$, respectively and the interannual values were directly influenced by the intensity of annual rainfall. There were no significant differences in the trophic variables between the two sampling sites. Mean values of Trophic State Index (TSI, Carlson, 1977), based on TN, TP, CHL, and SD (Secchi depth), turned out as eutrophic state, except for the TN (hypertrophic). Regression analyses of log-transformed seasonal CHL against TP and TN showed that variation of the CHL was explained 37% by the variation of TP ($R^2$=0.37, p<0.001, r=0.616), but not by TN ($R^2$=0.03, p>0.05). Regression coefficient of $Log_{10}$CHL vs $Log_{10}SD$ was 0.330 (p<0.003, r=0.580), indicating that transparency is regulated by the organic matter in the system. Results, data suggest that one of the ways controlling the eutrophication would be a reduction of phosphorus from the watershed.