• Atmosphere
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.173-195
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• 2023

Research papers in the field of atmospheric environment published in three Journals: Journal of Korean Meteorological Society, Atmosphere, and Asia-Pacific Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, are all summarized over period of 60 years since the establishment of Korea Meteorological Society (KMS) in 1963. In addition, current research trends and future outlook in the atmospheric environment field has been also highlighted. The results of historical records published in three KMS journals indicated that the activities, contents, and scope of researches carried out by KMS members in the field of atmospheric environment have yielded the enormous and rapid progress in each of the all four areas over 60 years. In particular, as the chronological progress of observational instruments and availability of satellite data such as from GEMS can be a great asset to deepen the observational and modeling researches in the current and future studies, it is highly anticipated that the more progressive and in-depth studies can be achievable to abate the air pollutants over the Korea as well as northeast Asia.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-257
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• 2005

The effects of Traffic Control Program (TCP) on the ambient urban air quality of SO$_{2}$, NO$_{2}$, O$_{3}$, and PM$_{10}$ were evaluated in Seoul metropolitan area by using the lower atmospheric vertical stability index and daily mean wind speeds. The vertical stability index; temperature lapse rate between 1000 hPa and 850 hPa geopotential height fields, were used to identify daily vertical stability index during the 2002 World Cup period where traffic amount was reportedly reduced to half the number of vehicles. The indicated air quality levels of TCP days were then compared with those of the cases observed with analogous vertical stability during the recent 3 years from 2000 to 2002. The result indicates that the effect of TCP on the primary air pollutants are found to be approximately 39$\%$, 23$\%$ and 20$\%$ lower for SO$_{2}$, NO$_{2}$ and PM$_{10}$, respectively. The secondary air pollutant; ozone, showed relatively smaller decreasing rate (13$\%$) of daily mean concentrations (even increased during the night time). The comparison of daily maximum or peak concentrations reveals that the pronounced decreasing effects of TCP on the ambient air quality for both primary and secondary air pollutants, suggesting that TCP is one of the effective strategies to control peak or higher concentrations for most urban scale air pollutants in and around the Seoul metropolitan area.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.88 no.4
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• pp.510-522
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• 1999

The air pollutants ; $SO_2$, $SO{_4}^{-2}$, $NO{_3}^-$, $Cl^-$ are absorbed into soils through falling with dusts and rain from the atmosphere. The sources of heavy metal contaminants in the environments are agricultural and horticultural materials, sewage sludges, fossil fuel combustion, metallurgical industries, electronics and waste disposal etc.. The soils and hydrosphere can be polluted on the way of the circulation of these heavy metals. Studied pollutant anions are $SO{_4}^{-2}$, $NO{_3}^-$ and $Cl^-$ and heavy metals are Se, Mo, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cr, Co, V, As, Cu and Ni which are the elements to be concerned with the essentials for plants, with animal and human health. This study is with the aim of selecting the species of roadside trees and green space trees which have excellent absorption of air pollutants and heavy metals from the atmosphere and the soils in the urban area. Two areas are designated to carry out this study : urban area ; Kwangju city and rural area ; the yard of Forest Environment Institute of Chollanam-do, at Sanje-ri, Sampo-myum, Naju city, Chollanam-do (23km away from Kwangju). This study is carried out to understand the movement of anions and heavy metals from the soils to the trees in both areas, the absorption of anions and heavy metals from atmosphere into leaves and the amounts of anions and heavy metals in leaves and fine roots(< 1mm dia.) of roadside trees and green space trees in Kwangju and trees in the yard of Forest Environment Institute of Chollanam-do. The tree species selected for this study in both areas are Ginkgo biloba, Quercus acutissima, Cedrus deodara, Platanus occidentalis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Alnus japonica. Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Zekova serrata. Prunus serrulata var. spontanea, and Pinus densiflora. The results of the study are as follows : 1. $SO{_4}^{-2}$, $NO{_3}^-$ and $Cl^-$ concentrations are higher in the soils of the urban area than in those of the rural area, and $NO{_3}^-$ and $SO{_4}^{-2}$ are higher in the leaves than in the roots due to the absorption of the these pollutants through the stomata. 2. Ginkgo biloba, Robinia pseudoacacia. Zekova serrata, Quercus acutissima, and Platanus occidentalis can be adequated to the roadside trees and the environmental trees due to their good absorption of $NO{_3}^-$ and $SO{_4}^{-2}$. 3. Heavy metals in the soils of both areas are in the order of Mn > Zn > V > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cu > Mo> Cd, and in the leaves and roots of the trees in the both areas are in the order of Mn>Zn>Cr>Cu>V>Ni. Both orders are similar ones except V. There are more in the urban soils than in the rural soils in amount of Mn, Zn, Pb, V, Cu. 4. It is supposed that there is no antagonism between Mn and Zn in this study. 5. Se, Co and As are not detected in the soils, the leaves and the roots in both areas. Sn, Mo, Cd and Pb are also not detected in the leaves and roots in spite of considerable amount in the soils of both areas.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.280-286
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• 2005

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) is one of the most effective strategies far long-term removal of greenhouse gas from atmosphere. This paper reviews three projects for the $CO_2$ sequestration in geological formation. A unique $CO_2$ injection into a marine aquifer has been successfully monitored with repeated surface seismic measurements in the North Sea Sleipner West field. The seismic images reveal the extent and internal shape of the $CO_2$ bubble. Massive miscible $CO_2$ has been injected into a complex fractured carbonate reservoir at the Weyburn oil filed. High-resolution time-lapse P-wave data were successfully obtained to map the features of $CO_2$ movements within the two thin zones of different lithology. From the time-lapse crosswell EM imaging at the Lost Hills oil field in central California, U.S.A., the replacement of brine with $CO_2$ has been confirmed through a decrease of conductivity. The conductivity image was successfully compared with induction logs observed in the two wells.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.89-102
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• 2018

We analyzed the meteorological and radiation characteristics of Seoul metropolitan area using data from energy flux towers that were installed and operated by the Weather Information Service Engine (WISE). The meteorological and radiation variables included temperature, pressure, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity, surface temperature, rainfall amount, upward and downward solar radiation, upward and downward longwave radiation, albedo and emissivity from 14 energy flux stations located in the Seoul metropolitan area from July 2016 to July 2017. According to the monthly data during the period, the albedo is low and emissivity is high at the Jungnang station in the urban and opposite at Bucheon station in the suburban area. For a station in natural state, the albedo was higher than urban stations because solar radiation reflects effectively. Relatively high temperatures were shown at stations located in urban area with low albedo and high emissivity, in general. However, temperature was high at Gajwa and Ttukseom stations, the albedo was relatively high due to the station environment surrounded by glass wall buildings and the Han river. In the station located in suburban area, both emissivity and temperature were low. Among these stations, Bucheon station had the highest emissivity values because the surface temperature was relatively lower than that of the suburban area. As a result, the albedo decreased and the emissivity increased at stations in urban areas. Additionally, Seoul metropolitan area had less than $100Wm^{-2}$ of net radiation, which implied that radiation energy could be absorbed in the atmosphere.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.219-232
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• 2012

The intensive observation (ProbeX-2010) was performed to investigate an urban effect on summer rainfall over the Seoul metropolitan area from 13 August to 3 September 2010. Two kinds of urban effect were detected. First, weak rainfall (${\leq}1\;mm\;hr^{-1}$) was observed more frequently in the downwind area of Seoul than any other area of the country. The high frequency of weak rainfall in the downwind area was also confirmed from the recent five years of observational data (2006-2010). Because the high frequency was more apparent in mountainous regions during nighttime, the weak rainfall seems to be caused by a combined effect of urbanization and topography. Second, sporadically, a convective system was developed rapidly in the downwind area of Seoul, causing heavy rainfall (${\geq}10\;mm\;hr^{-1}$). It can be most clearly seen in series of radar images around 1300-1500 KST 27 August 2010. We investigated in detail the synoptic and local weather and upper air conditions. As a result, not only urban-induced high sensible heat but also conditionally unstable atmosphere (especially unstable in low level) and low level moisture were pointed out as important factors that contributed to urban-induced heavy rainfall.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.547-556
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• 2007

The release, sampling and analytical methods have been developed and tested for perfluorocarbons (PFCs) atmospheric tracers in order to gain insight into the atmospheric transport and dispersion over the urban conditions of Seoul, Korea. Although PFCs tracer experiments provide unique opportunities to test local and urban scale of transport and dispersion, no previous experiment with PFCs has been conducted in Korea. PMCH and PDCH were chosen as targeted tracers in our study due to their extreme low ambient concentrations and great sensitivities among various PFCs. For PFCs release system, a set of micro-metering pump, electronic balance, vaporizing furnace and high speed blower was constructed for precise and accurate release of tracers. The precision of released rate by this system was estimated to be 1%. Samplings of PFCs were carried out by fabricated portable air samplers with micro pumps and rotameters into glass tubes packed with 150 mg of Carboxen-569. The uncertainty of these sampling system was maintained below 14%. PMCH and PDCH were quantified in GC/ECD with preconditioned injection system to eliminate the interference compounds using traps and subsequent catalytic conversion system prior to column separation. Three intensive field test were undertaken during the springtime of 2002 to 2004 in eastern part of Seoul. Daily background samples were collected to characterize the background levels of PMCH and PDCH prior to their release. The observed background concentrations of PMCH ranged from 3.5 to 10.1 fL/L and varied randomly in location and time in this study. Its mean and standard variation of background concentration ($6.8{\pm}1.9\;fL/L$) are higher than those ($3.2{\sim}5.8\;fL/L$) of other historic tracer studies. Identified uncertainty for background PMCH was $1.7{\sim}2.0\;fL/L$ using this analytical system. Combined relative uncertainty in determining the tracer's concentrations was estimated as 17%. However, its background concentrations and uncertainty in concentration determination were found to be low and stable enough for tracer study.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.6_2
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• pp.1261-1272
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• 2018

It is important to measure the Arctic surface air temperature because it plays a key-role in the exchange of energy between the ocean, sea ice, and the atmosphere. Although in-situ observations provide accurate measurements of air temperature, they are spatially limited to show the distribution of Arctic surface air temperature. In this study, we proposed machine learning-based models to estimate the Arctic surface air temperature in summer based on buoy data and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2)satellite data. Two machine learning approaches-random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM)-were used to estimate the air temperature twice a day according to AMSR2 observation time. Both RF and SVM showed $R^2$ of 0.84-0.88 and RMSE of $1.31-1.53^{\circ}C$. The results were compared to the surface air temperature and spatial distribution of the ERA-Interim reanalysis data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). They tended to underestimate the Barents Sea, the Kara Sea, and the Baffin Bay region where no IABP buoy observations exist. This study showed both possibility and limitations of the empirical estimation of Arctic surface temperature using AMSR2 data.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.513-527
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• 2013

Recently, hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) have been of great concern in Korea, largely due to public awareness on the importance of their impacts on environmental health. A group of HAPs includes a large number of various chemicals such as VOCs, PAHs, PCBs, dioxines, furans, organochlorinated pesticides, and some heavy metals. These groups of pollutants are generally known to have genetic toxicity and to be persistent in the environment. In addition, most of chemicals belong to the category of HAPs are widely distributed not only in air, but also in water and soil environments, and has therefore undergone considerable scrutiny for the last three decades. In this article, environmental implications and management of HAPs in Korea will be reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the monitoring of HAPs in the ambient air. A number of field studies will be introduced, which were recently conducted in large urban and industrial areas. Based on the filed studies, eight pollutants have been suggested to be intensively managed as higher priority pollutants, which are benzene, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, acrolein, trichloroethylene, benzo(a)pyrene, hexa-valent Cr, and $PM_{2.5}$. Finally, future directions for a mega scale project for comprehensive monitoring of ambient atmosphere in large urban areas will be suggested. Such an innovative project is believed to provide more realistic information on the nature of the population exposure, which can not be simply identified by emission inventories or source investigations. Therefore, any strategy for the management of HAPs should be developed by not only emission-based approaches, but also observation-based approaches.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 1989

Atmospheric gaseous mercury was automatically measured by a mercury air monitor (Mercury monitor AM-1). The sample air was led to a scrubber and washed with buffer solution, and mercury was trapped with gold coated chromosorb P(AW) was successively eluted by heating the chromosorb and then detected by the cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. $SO_2, TSP, NO_x, CO, THC$. and some of meteorological factors were also measured simultaneously with mercury. A significant correlation between the concentration of mercury and those of 2,513 measurements, gaseous mercury concentration ranged from 4.73 to 112.8 $ng/m^3$ with an annual mean of 14.7$ng/m^3$ in urban area. At this place there was a clear seasonal variation with a maximuminDecember-January and aminimum in March-June. A secondary maximum existed in August to September. THe seasonal variation was found that the gaseous mercury in ambient air has a tendency to become low in spring and high in winter. Namely, the average of concentration in winter was about two times, 19.2 $ng/m^3$, higher than that in spring. In Seoul mercury levels on some months mainly Septermber-October increase with increasing relative humidity of the atmosphere. In Olympic park air levels were 8.2 (range 4.4-23.7)$ng/m^3$ with an coefficients of variation of 0.34 and in Seoul sports complex those were 7.7 (rnage 4.4-25.5) $ng/m^3$ with an coefficients of variation of 0.38 within the Seoul olympiad holding period of time. A significant diurnal mercury variation occurs both at the measuring sites and in the period of observation.