• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2013

This study focused on a comprehensive and detailed interpretation for the springtime air quality influenced by both artificial (particulate matter (PM) and asbestos) and biological (pollen) sources in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. An intensive measurement of PM was conducted at four characteristic sites (i.e., a heavy traffic area, a residential area, an industrial area, and a desolate area) in the Fukuoka Prefecture during spring of 2007. Analysis of major ionic species in $PM_{2.5}$ was performed by an Ion Chromatography, and asbestos and pollen were identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). $PM_{2.5}$ concentration ($65.3{\mu}gm^{-3}$) measured in an industrial area (site C) was extraordinarily high compared to those monitored in other areas; it greatly exceeded the Japan's $PM_{2.5}$ criteria (a daily average of $35{\mu}gm^{-3}$). NOAA's HYSPLIT dispersion model suggests that this high level of $PM_{2.5}$ monitored at site C is unlikely to affect the Asian continent. The ambient concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$-related anions ($NH_4{^+}$, $NO_3{^-}$, and $SO_4{^{2-}}$) and their relative contributions to $PM_{2.5}$ were also investigated in four study areas. The concentrations of these major water-soluble ions exhibit not only strong spatial dependence but also different ratios to each other. Asbestos fiber (crocidolite and amosite) concentration values changed in the range of 2.5 to 14.4 f per liter of air. The number of pollen grains showed that Cedar ranked higher in concentration than other types of pollen, with the maximum concentration at site A.

• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.207-224
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• 2008

Severe downslope windstorms observed at Gangneung, Korea in the springtime during the last 30 years are studied to understand their generation mechanisms. 92 severe wind cases are selected for which the maximum instantaneous wind speeds exceed two standard deviation of total mean plus ($18.7ms^{-1}$). They are categorized into the three mechanisms (hydraulic jump, partial reflection, and critical-level reflection) proposed in previous studies based on the flow condition, which is calculated using the wind and temperature profile observed at one upstream rawinsonde station, Osan. Among the three, partial reflection is found to be the most frequent mechanism for the last 30 years (1976 - 2005). To understand the role of inversion in generating severe downslope windstorms, horizontal velocity perturbation was calculated analytically for the atmosphere with an inversion layer. It turned out that the intensity of downslope wind was increased by inversion layer of specific heights, which are well matched with the observations. For better understanding the generation mechanisms, two-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted for the 92 severe wind cases using the ARPS model. In most simulations, surface wind speed exceeds the value of the severe-wind criterion, and each simulated case can be explained by its own generation mechanism. However, in most simulations, the simulated surface wind speed is larger than the observed, due to ignoring the flow-splitting effect in the two-dimensional framework.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-44
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to investigate predictability of the seasonal simulation by the METRI (Meteorological Research Institute) AGCM (Atmospheric General Circulation Model), which is a long-term prediction model for the METRI 3-month prediction system. We examine the performance skill of climate simulation and predictability by the analysis of variance of the METRI AGCM, focusing on the precipitation, 850 hPa temperature, and 500 hPa geopotential height. According to the result, the METRI AGCM shows systematic errors with seasonal march, and represents large errors over the equatorial region, compared to the observation. Also, the response of the METRI AGCM by the variation of the sea surface temperature is obvious for the wintertime and springtime. However, the METRI AGCM does not show the significant ENSO-related signal in autumn. In case of prediction over the east Asian region, errors between the prediction results and the observation are not quite large with the lead-time. However, in the predictability assessment using the analysis of variance method, longer lead-time makes the prediction better, and the predictability becomes better in the springtime.

• Atmosphere
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-83
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• 2006

The statistical analysis for the springtime windstorm in Korea shows that Yeongdong region has the highest occurrence frequency during recent 10 years. The objective of this study is to find possible mechanisms for the downslope windstorm formation in the Yeongdong region by using a mesoscale numerical model, WRF. Dynamical process, wave breaking (hereafter WB), is qualitatively investigated as the candidate mechanism for a windstorm event occurred in 5 April, 2005. WB is developed in upper troposphere downstream, since stable air is lifted by the Taebaek mountain. This process can cause and maintain the severe downslope windstorm by drawing the upper flow down to the surface. And the intensified downslope wind leads the hydraulic jump (hereafter HJ) in downstream region. Froude numbers at Chuncheon (upslope side), Seorak Mountain (crest), Yangyang (lee side), and the East Sea (distant downstream position) are estimated by about 0.4, 1.0, 1.6, and 0.6, respectively. This result implies that the accelerated and supercritical (Fr>1) flow adjusts to the ambient subcritical (Fr<1) conditions in the turbulent HJ. In addition, we find the formation of upstream inversion near top level of the mountain cause the intensification of HJ. Experiments to examine the orographic effect on the mechanisms suggest that the magnitudes of WB and HJ are larger in the experiment of higher topography, but there is no significant difference of windstorm magnitude among the experiments. Another important result from these sensitivity experiments is that the intensity of downslope windstorm strongly depends on the magnitude of upper (2~4 km) wind in upstream side.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.507-517
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• 2002

Cheeka Peak is a unique site for monitoring the background chemistry and aerosol contents of pristine marine air at mid-latitude. During long-range onshore winds that occur frequently throughout the year, it is predicted to have the cleanest air in the northern hemisphere. Measurements of CO and O$_3$were conducted at Cheeka Peak Observatory(CPO) on the northwestern tip of Washington state, USA during March 6 ∼May 29, 2001. The data have been segregated to quantify the mixing ratio of these species in the Pacific marine atmosphere. Also the marine air masses were further classified into four categories based on 10-day backward isentropic trajectories; high, mid, and low latitude and those which had crossed over the Asian industrial region. The diurnal variation of CO and O$_3$at CPO showed a similar to tendency of background measurement site. When marine air mass flowed to CPO, CO concentration was lower and O$_3$was similar or higher than those of total data. The westerly flow from ocean, not easterly from continent occurred the high concentration of CO and O$_3$at CPO. Using the trajectory segregation of marine air mass, the comparison of concentration according to latitude calculated. the CO concentration of Asian trajectory was lower than other latitudes, O$_3$concentration was higher.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.503-514
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• 2004

In Seoul metropolitan area, nocturnal variation of surface ozone concentrations observed at 27 monitoring sites from 1998 to 2002 showed that high ozone levels occurred frequently during the spring. Frequency distributions for nighttime ozone indicated that elevated concentrations in spring were influenced by advection of different air mass compared to other seasons. Surface wind analysis during the spring revealed that relatively strong southwesterly winds were associated with nocturnal ozone enhancement, which can be attributed to the regional transport of ozone. In order to identify the origin of nocturnal ozone enhancement in spring, 3-day backward trajectories were calculated by HYSPLIT 4 for the episode days and then classified. The results showed that NW, W, and SW flows, indicating influence of polluted air masses from the China continent, have 51% in a]1 the episode days, which suggest that the nocturnal ozone enhancement can occur under the effect of long-range transport of ozone-laden air mass on a regional scale. Case study of nocturnal ozone maxima associated with long-range transport was discussed in more detail in the light of meteorological conditions. Southwesterly synoptic flow along the outer edge of moving high-pressure system was found to be the important cause of nocturnal ozone maxima in Seoul. This flow could lead to be long-range transport of ozone that had effectively accumulated in the stagnating portion of the system located eastern coast of China. Low atmosphere soundings, backward trajectories, and elevated ozone and CO levels at the back-ground tiles gave evidence for regional effects on nocturnal ozone enhancement In Seoul.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.533-540
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• 2014

Statistical forecast models for the prediction of the summertime Changma precipitation have been developed in this study. As effective predictors for the Changma precipitation, the springtime sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies over the North Atlantic (NA1), the North Pacific (NPC) and the tropical Pacific Ocean (CNINO) has been suggested in Lee and Seo (2013). To further improve the performance of the statistical prediction scheme, we select other potential predictors and construct 2 additional statistical models. The selected predictors are the Northern Indian Ocean (NIO) and the Bering Sea (BS) SST anomalies, and the spring Eurasian snow cover anomaly (EUSC). Then, using the total three statistical prediction models, a simple ensemble-mean prediction is performed. The resulting correlation skill score reaches as high as ~0.90 for the last 21 years, which is ~16% increase in the skill compared to the prediction model by Lee and Seo (2013). The EUSC and BS predictors are related to a strengthening of the Okhotsk high, leading to an enhancement of the Changma front. The NIO predictor induces the cyclonic anomalies to the southwest of the Korean peninsula and southeasterly flows toward the peninsula, giving rise to an increase in the Changma precipitation.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.405-420
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• 2021

Forest fire happens every year at Yeongdong, Gangwon-do, due to the strong local wind during the spring time and it causes a huge damage. This wind is named "Yangganjipung" or "Yanggangjipung" that blows along Yeongdong. However, the occurrence conditions of the wind have been still unclear. To identify the occurrence mechanism of local strong wind through three-dimensional observation data, Gangwon Regional Meteorological Administration performed Joint Gangwon-Yeongdong 3D Observation Project in 2020. The special observation was carried out for 6 times from March to April. The observation data was analyzed by focusing on the structure of synoptic pressure distribution and inversion layer. The result showed that the strength of wind is different depending on the latitude of low pressure, intensity of inversion layer, and changes on height in the south-high and north-low pressure distribution. As the interval of the upper and lower parts of the inversion layer was narrow, the strength of the wind became stronger, which is one of the observational characteristics of the springtime wind pattern at Yeongdong, Gangwon-do. In future, the clear mechanism of the local wind in the Yeongdong during the spring time is expected to be verified based on the accumulative observation data and close analysis.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.280-287
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• 2015

The high time-resolution monitoring data are essential to estimate rapid changes in chemical compositions, concentrations, formation mechanisms, and likely sources of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). In this study, $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$, and the number concentration of size-resolved PMs were monitored in Fukuoka, Japan by good time-resolved methods during the springtime. The highest monthly average $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate was found in May ($8.85{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), followed by April ($8.36{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), March ($8.13{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), and June ($7.22{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$). The cases exceed the Japanese central government's safety standard for $PM_{2.5}$ ($35{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) reached 10.11% during four months campaign. The fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ varied from 12.05% to 68.11% with average value of 35.49% throughout the entire period of monitoring. This high proportion of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ is an obvious characteristic of the ambient $PM_{2.5}$ in Fukuoka during the springtime. However, the average fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ in three rain events occurred during our intensive campaign fell right down to 15.53%. Unusually high $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate (> $30{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) marked on three days were probably affected by the air parcels coming from the Chinese continent, the natural sulfur in the remote marine atmosphere, and a large number of ships sailing on the nearby sea. The theoretical number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ was originally calculated and then compared to $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate. A close resemblance between the diurnal variations of the theoretically calculated number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate concentration indicates that the secondary formed $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ was the primary form of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ during our monitoring period.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.245-257
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• 2012

The Asian dust (Hwangsa) forecasting model, Asian Dust Aerosol Model (ADAM) has been modified by using satelliate monitoring of surface vegetation, which enables to simulate dusts occuring not only in springtime but also for all-year-round period. Coupled with the Unified Model (UM), the operational weather forecasting model at KMA, UM-ADAM2 was implemented for operational dust forecasting since 2010, with an aid of development of Meteorology-Chemistry Interface Processor (MCIP) for usage UM. The performance analysis of the ADAM2 forecast was conducted with $PM_{10}$ concentrations observed at monitoring sites in the source regions in China and the downstream regions of Korea from March to December in 2010. It was found that the UM-ADAM2 model was able to simulate quite well Hwangsa events observed in spring and wintertime over Korea. In the downstream region of Korea, the starting and ending times of dust events were well-simulated, although the surface $PM_{10}$ concentration was slightly underestimated for some dust events. The general negative bias less than $35{\mu}g\;m^{3}$ in $PM_{10}$ is found and it is likely to be due to other fine aerosol species which is not considered in ADAM2. It is found that the correlation between observed and forecasted $PM_{10}$ concentration increases as forecasting time approaches, showing stably high correlation about 0.7 within 36 hr in forecasting time. This suggests the possibility that there is potential for the UM-ADAM2 model to be used as an operational Asian dust forecast model.