• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2017

This study was conducted to analyze the urban heat island(UHI) intensity of South Korea by using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) satellite imagery. For this purpose, the metropolitan area was spatially divided according to land cover classification into urban and non-urban land. From the analysis of land surface temperature(LST) in South Korea in the summer of 2009 which was calculated from MODIS satellite imagery it was determined that the highest temperature recorded nationwide was $36.0^{\circ}C$, lowest $16.2^{\circ}C$, and that the mean was $24.3^{\circ}C$, with a standard deviation of $2.4^{\circ}C$. In order to analyze UHI by cities and counties, UHI intensity was defined as the difference in average temperature between urban and non-urban land, and was calculated through RST1 and RST2. The RST1 calculation showed scattered distribution in areas of high UHI intensity, whereas the RST2 calculation showed that areas of high UHI intensity were concentrated around major cities. In order to find an effective method for analyzing UHI by cities and counties, analysis was conducted of the correlation between the urbanization ratio, number of tropical heat nights, and number of heat-wave days. Although UHI intensity derived through RST1 showed barely any correlation, that derived through RST2 showed significant correlation. The RST2 method is deemed as a more suitable analytical method for measuring the UHI of urban land in cities and counties across the country. In cities and counties with an urbanization ratio of < 20%, the rate of increase for UHI intensity in proportion to increases in urbanization ratio, was very high; whereas this rate gradually declined when the urbanization ratio was > 20%. With an increase of $1^{\circ}C$ in RST2 UHI intensity, the number of tropical heat nights and heat wave days was predicted to increase by approximately five and 0.5, respectively. These results can be used for reference when predicting the effects of increased urbanization on UHI intensity.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.471-481
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• 2007

Temperature and precipitation, particularly August and summer, in the Korean peninsular are analyzed. The analyzed period is 1973-2007 for the Korean peninsular (that is, 60 meteorological station average). In addition, 100 year record (1908-2007) of temperature and precipitation in Seoul are also analyzed. Results indicate that the temperatures (mean, maximun, and minimum) of August and summer of 2007, both in Korean peninsular and Seoul, are higher than normal. The increasing rate of minimum temperature for the August and summer during the period from 1973 to 2007 shows greater than the mean and maximum temperature both in Korean peninsular and Seoul due to the global warming and urbanization. Number of tropical night days, defined by the days with above $25^{\circ}C$ in minimum temperature, shows increasing trend both in August and summer from 1973 to 2007 due to the combination effect of the global warming and urbanization. The amount of precipitation, both in August and summer, for Korean peninsular and Seoul shows increasing trend from 1973 to 2007, and 1908 to 2007, respectively. Amount of precipitation and rainy days, both August and summer, during 2000s show greater than those of the 1970s both in Korean peninsular and Seoul. Extreme rainy days (greater than 120mm/day, greater than 80mm/day, greater than 30mm in any 1-hour period and greater than 10mm in any 10-minute period) show increasing trend from 1973 to 2007 for both in August and in summer.