• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.105-109
• /
• 2017

The well-known solar cycle controls almost the entire appearance of the solar photosphere. We therefore presume that the continuous emission of visible light from the solar surface follows the solar cyclic variation. In this study, we examine the solar cyclic variation of photospheric brightness in the visible range using solar images taken by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI). The photospheric brightness in the visible range is quantified via the relative intensity acquired from in the raw solar images. In contrast to total solar irradiance, the relative intensity is out of phase with the solar cycle. During the solar minimum of solar cycles 23-24, the relative intensity shows enhanced heliolatitudinal asymmetry due to a positive asymmetry of the sunspot number. This result can be explained by the strength of the solar magnetic field that controls the strength of convection, implying that the emission in the visible range is controlled by the strength of convection. This agrees with the photospheric brightness increasing during a period of long spotless days.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.245-251
• /
• 2012

Since the development of surface magnetic features should reflect the evolution of the solar magnetic field in the deep interior of the Sun, it is crucial to study properties of sunspots and sunspot groups to understand the physical processes working below the solar surface. Here, using the data set of sunspot groups observed at the ButterStar observatory for 3,364 days from 2002 October 16 to 2011 December 31, we investigate temporal change of sunspot groups depending on their Z$\ddot{u}$rich classification type. Our main findings are as follows: (1) There are more sunspot groups in the southern hemisphere in solar cycle 23, while more sunspot groups appear in the northern hemisphere in solar cycle 24. We also note that in the declining phase of solar cycle 23 the decreasing tendency is apparently steeper in the solar northern hemisphere than in the solar southern hemisphere. (2) Some of sunspot group types make a secondary peak in the distribution between the solar maximum and the solar minimum. More importantly, in this particular data set, sunspot groups which have appeared in the solar southern hemisphere make a secondary peak 1 year after a secondary peak occurs in the solar northern hemisphere. (3) The temporal variations of small and large sunspot group numbers are disparate. That is, the number of large sunspot group declines earlier and faster and that the number of small sunspot group begins to rise earlier and faster. (4) The total number of observed sunspot is found to behave more likewise as the small sunspot group does. Hence, according to our findings, behaviors and evolution of small magnetic flux tubes and large magnetic flux tubes seem to be different over solar cycles. Finally, we conclude by briefly pointing out its implication on the space weather forecast.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 2009.10a
• /
• pp.26.1-26.1
• /
• 2009

Many solar, interplanetary and geomagnetic activity parameters have 11-year cycle on the average in sync with solar sunspot number. The galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity measured by ground Neutron Monitor (NM) is one of those parameters showing the unprecedented activity levels in the current solar minimum (2008-2009) of solar cycles 23/24. We defined abnormality as the ratio of deviation from long term mean over mean amplitude of solar cycle change. The abnormality distribution map was drawn using all the data of NM stations available online. The implications of those unprecedented levels of GCR intensities of different cutoff rigidities will be discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Geothermal and Hydrothermal Energy
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2009

In this study, an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) is investigated for a low-temperature geothermal power generation by a simulation method. A steady-state simulation model is developed to analyze cycle's performance. The model contains a turbine, a pump, an expansion valve and heat exchangers. The turbine and pump are modelled by an isentropic efficiency. Simulations were carried out for the given heat source and sink inlet temperatures, and given flow rate that is based on the typical power plant thermal-capacitance-rate ratio. HFC-245fa is considered as a working fluid of the cycle. Simulation results, at the given secondary working fluids conditions, show that even though the power can be presented by both the evaporating temperature and the turbine inlet superheat, it depends on the evaporating temperature primarily.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2014

Two-step water splitting thermochemical cycle with $CeO_2$ foam device was investigated by using a solar simulator composed of 2.5 kW Xe-Arc lamp and mirror reflector. The hydrogen production of $CeO_2$ foam device depending on reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step and Water-Decomposition step was analyzed, and the hydrogen production of $CeO_2$ and $NiFe_2O_4/ZrO_2$ foam devices was compared. As a result, the amount of reduced $CeO_2$ considerably varies according to the reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step. and hydrogen production was not much when the amount of reduced $CeO_2$ decreased even if the reaction temperature of Water-Decomposition step was high. Therefore, it is very important to keep the reaction temperature of Thermal-Reduction step high in two-step thermochemical cycle with $CeO_2$.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.73-89
• /
• 2016

To assure maximum economic benefits and the energy performance of solar water heating systems, the proper sizing of components and operating conditions need to be optimized. In recent years, a number of studies to design optimally solar water heating systems have been tried. This paper presents a design method for optimizing the various capacity-related and installation-related design variables based on life cycle cost using a genetic algorithm. The design variables considered in this study included the types and numbers of solar collector and auxiliary heaters; the types of storage tanks and heat exchangers; the solar collector slope; mass flow rates of the fluid on the hot and cold sides. The suggested method was applied for optimizing a solar water heating system for an elementary school in Seoul, South Korea. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed optimization method was assessed by analyzing the obtained optimal solutions of six case studies, each of which was simulated with different solar fractions. It is observed that a trade-off between the equipment cost and the energy cost results in an optimal design that yields the lowest life cycle cost. Therefore, it could be helpful to apply the optimal solar water heating system by comparing the various design solutions obtained by using the optimization method instead of the engineer's experience and intuition.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.9-18
• /
• 2006

In this paper, the thermodynamic performance of OTEC cycle was examined. Computer simulation programs were developed for simple Rankine cycle, regenerative Rankine cycle, Kalina cycle, open cycle and hybrid cycle. For the simple Rankine cycle, the results show that newly developed fluids such as R410A and R32 that do not cause stratospheric ozone layer depletion perform as well as R22 and ammonia. Also, simple Rankine cycle OTEC power plant can practically generate electricity when the difference in warm and cold sea water inlet temperatures are greater than $14^{\circ}C$. The regenerative Rankine cycle showed a 1.5 to 2% increase in energy efficiency compared to the simple Rankine cycle while the Kalina cycle employing ammonia/water mixture showed a 2-to-3% increase in energy efficiency, and the overall cycle efficiencies of hybrid cycle and open cycle were 3.35% and 4.86%, respectively.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.335-340
• /
• 2015

Using the Total Electron Content (TEC) data from the Global Navigation Service System (GNSS) site in Jeju, operated by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (geographic location: $33.3^{\circ}N$, $126.5^{\circ}E$; geomagnetic location: $23.6^{\circ}N$) for 2002-2014 in Korea, the results of the statistical analysis of positive and negative ionospheric storms are presented for the first time. In this paper, ionospheric storms are defined as turbulences that exceed 50% of the percentage differential Global Positioning System (GPS) TEC ratio (${\Delta}TEC$) with monthly median GPS TEC. During the period of observations, the total number of positive ionospheric storms (${\Delta}TEC$ > 50%) was 170, which is greater than five times the number of negative ionospheric storms (${\Delta}TEC$ < - 50%) of 33. The numbers of ionospheric storms recorded during solar cycles 23 and 24 were 134 and 69, respectively. Both positive and negative ionospheric storms showed yearly variation with solar activity during solar cycle 23, but during solar cycle 24, the occurrence of negative ionospheric storms did not show any particular trend with solar activity. This result indicates that the ionosphere is actively perturbed during solar cycle 23, whereas it is relatively quiet during solar cycle 24. The monthly variations of the ionospheric storms were not very clear although there seems to be stronger occurrence during solstice than during equinox. We also investigated the variations of GPS positioning accuracy caused by ionospheric storms during November 7-10, 2004. During this storm period, the GPS positioning accuracies from a single frequency receiver are 3.26 m and 2.97 m on November 8 and 10, respectively, which is much worse than the quiet conditions on November 7 and 9 with the accuracy of 1.54 m and 1.69 m, respectively.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
• /
• 2004.04a
• /
• pp.36-36
• /
• 2004

Ionospheric data from DGS-256 ionosonde operated by Radio Research Laboratory in Anyang archived during 1991-2002 was extracted and analyzed firstly in Korea. Daily, monthly and annual variations of the 12-year F2 layer critical frequency(foF2) are derived to investigate the statistical ionospheric characteristics during one complete solar cycle. Positive correlation between the mean values of 24-hourly monthly median foF2 and the monthly smoothed sunspot number(SSN) for the same period is found. (omitted)

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2012.03a
• /
• pp.113-119
• /
• 2012

The two-step water splitting thermochemical cycle is composed of the T-R (Thermal Reduction) and W-D (Water Decomposition) steps. The mechanism of this cycle is oxidation-reduction, which produces hydrogen. The reaction temperature necessary for this thermochemical cycle can be achieved by a dish-type solar thermal collector (Inha University, Korea). The purpose of this study is to validate a water splitting device in the field. The device is studied and fabricated by Kodama et al (2010, 2011). The validation results show that the foam device, when loaded with $CeO_2$ powder, was successfully achieved hydrogen production under field conditions. Through this experiment, we can analyze the characteristics of the catalyst and able to determine which is more advantageous thing to produce hydrogen compared with previous experiment that used ferrite-device.