• Title/Summary/Keyword: Walker circulation

Search Result 8, Processing Time 0.027 seconds

The Intensification of Walker Circulation over the Past 15 Years from 1999 and Its Relation to TC Activity in the Western North Pacific

  • Choi, Jae-Won;Cha, Yumi;Kim, Jeoung-Yun
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
    • /
    • v.37 no.6
    • /
    • pp.359-372
    • /
    • 2016
  • The time-series of Walker circulation index (WCI) in this study shows the strengthening of the Walker circulation in recent years. To further understand the large-scale features related to the WCI strengthening, a difference between the averaged meteorological variables in two time periods 1999-2013 and 1984-1998 is analyzed. The difference in 850 hPa stream flows between the two periods shows that the anomalous easterlies (anomalous trade wind) are dominant due to the strengthening of anomalous anticyclonic circulations at the subtropical Pacific of both hemispheres. The difference between the averaged zonal atmospheric circulations over $5^oS-5^oN$ in the two periods confirms that upward flows are strengthened at the tropical western Pacific and downward flows are strengthened at the tropical central and eastern Pacific in recent years. It matches the WCI strengthening in recent years. The time-series of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency from July to September shows that a mean TC genesis frequency from 1999-2013 decreases compared to that of the time period 1984-1998. The monsoon trough in the period 1984-1998 was located in the further east direction and stronger than that in the period 1999-2013. TCs in the recent period that are generated in further west than TCs in the past period moved from the west. Thus, the TC intensity along the coasts in East Asia becomes weaker in recent period. The intensification of Walker circulation in recent years is related to the weaker TC intensity in East Asia through strengthened anomalous anticyclones at the subtropical western Pacific.

Changes in the Low Latitude Atmospheric Circulation at the End of the 21st Century Simulated by CMIP5 Models under Global Warming (CMIP5 모델에서 모의되는 지구온난화에 따른 21세기 말 저위도 대기 순환의 변화)

  • Jung, Yoo-Rim;Choi, Da-Hee;Baek, Hee-Jeong;Cho, Chunho
    • Atmosphere
    • /
    • v.23 no.4
    • /
    • pp.377-387
    • /
    • 2013
  • Projections of changes in the low latitude atmospheric circulation under global warming are investigated using the results of the CMIP5 ensemble mean. For this purpose, 30-yr periods for the present day (1971~2000) and the end of the $21^{st}$ century (2071~2100) according to the RCP emission scenarios are compared. The wintertime subtropical jet is projected to strengthen on the upper side of the jet due to increase in meridional temperature gradient induced by warming in the tropical upper-troposphere and cooling in the stratosphere except for the RCP2.6. It is also found that a strengthening of the upper side of the wintertime subtropical jet in the RCP2.6 due to tropical upper-tropospheric warmings. Model-based projection shows a weakening of the mean intensity of the Hadley cell, an upward shift of cell, and poleward shift of the Hadley circulation for the winter cell in both hemispheres. A weakening of the Walker circulation, which is one of the most robust atmospheric responses to global warming, is also projected. These results are consistent with findings in the previous studies based on CMIP3 data sets. A weakening of the Walker circulation is accompanied with decrease (increase) in precipitation over the Indo-Pacific warm pool region (the equatorial central and east Pacific). In addition, model simulation shows a decrease in precipitation over subtropical regions where the descending branch of the winter Hadley cell in both hemispheres is strengthened.

Interdecadal Change of Summer Rainfall in the Region of Korea and Northern China (한국-중국 북부지역에서 여름 강수량의 십년간 변동)

  • Choi, Jae-Won;Cha, Yumi;Kim, Jeoung-Yun;Lu, Riyu
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
    • /
    • v.38 no.1
    • /
    • pp.35-48
    • /
    • 2017
  • This study analyzed the obvious increasing tendency of summer (June to August) rainfall in the region of Korea- and northern China ($35^{\circ}-40^{\circ}N$, $110^{\circ}-130^{\circ}E$) in the late 1990s. In order to investigate the causes of the increase in summer rainfall since 1998, we analyzed the difference of the rainfall average between 1998-2012 and 1981-1997. The analysis of the 850 hPa stream flows showed that the huge anomalous anticyclonic circulations were developed in North Pacific and eastern Australia. In both hemispheres, the anomalous easterlies (anomalous trade winds) were strengthened from the equatorial central Pacific to the tropical western Pacific by the anomalous circulations, which was an anomalous circulation pattern shown in La $Ni{\tilde{n}}a$ years. As for the 200 hPa stream flows, the huge anomalous cyclonic circulations were also developed in both South Pacific and North Pacific. These two anomalous circulations reinforced the anomalous westerlies in the equatorial central and western Pacific, leading to the increase in summer rainfall in the region of Korea- and northern China since the late 1990s in association with La $Ni{\tilde{n}}a$ pattern, which was resulted in strengthening the Walker circulation. Recently in East Asia, the local Hadley circulation has been strengthened in which upward flows in the equatorial western Pacific and mid-latitude region of East Asia have descended in the subtropical western Pacific.

A study on the atmospheric response to a SST anomaly over the Equatorial Eastern Pacific Ocean with the horizontally fine resolution AGCM (수평조밀격자 GCM을 이용한 적도 태평양상의 SST anomaly에 대한 대기 반응 연구)

  • Moon, Sung-Eui;Ahn, Joong-Bae;Kim, Yoo-Keun
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
    • /
    • v.4 no.5
    • /
    • pp.403-411
    • /
    • 1995
  • The atmospheric responses to a Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly(SSTA) over the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean have been investigated using the horizontally fine resolution model based on OSU 2-layer Atmospheric General Circulation Model(AGCM). The SSTAS daring the peak phase of 1982-83 El Nino have been applied to the model as the boundary conditions of the experiment. The model simulates the eastward movement of the rising branch of the Walker circulation. That is, the major features associated with the El Nino such as the increase of the precipitation rate over the center of the Pacific and decrease over the Indonesia, and the 500hPa geopotential height anomaly in the middle latitude are properly describes in the fine resolution model experiment. The model results indicate that this horizontally fine resolution UM can successfully simulate the ENSO anomalies and be more effectivelly used for the study of the climate and the climate changes.

  • PDF

Relationship of South China Sea summer monsoon with ENSO (남중국해 여름몬순과 ENSO와의 가능한 상관관계)

  • Choi, Jae-Won;Park, Ki-Jun;Kim, Jeoung-Yun;Kim, Baek-Jo
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
    • /
    • v.24 no.6
    • /
    • pp.827-840
    • /
    • 2015
  • This study analyzed a correlation between South China Sea summer (June to September) monsoon (SCSSM) and the ENSO for the last 32 years (1979 to 2010). There was a correlation that the higher (lower) the SST in the $Ni{\tilde{n}}o-3.4$ region was, the weaker (stronger) the SCSSM intensity was. To identify the reason for this correlation, a difference of means between 8 El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ years and 8 La $Ni{\tilde{n}}a$ years (June to September). The analysis on the difference between two groups with respect to the 850 hPa stream flows showed that there were anomalous huge cyclones in the subtropical Pacific in the both hemispheres so that cold and dry anomalous northerlies were strengthened in the South China Sea relatively while anomalous westerlies were strengthened from the Maritime Continent to the off the coast of Chile. The analysis on the difference between two groups with respect to the 200 hPa stream flows showed that the opposite anomalous pressure system pattern to that in the 850 hPa stream flows were shown. In the subtropical Pacific of the both hemispheres, anomalous anticyclones existed so that anomalous easterlies were strengthened from the Maritime Continent to the equatorial central Pacific. Considering the anomalous atmospheric circulations in the upper and lower layers of the troposphere, upward airflows from the equatorial central and eastern Pacific were downward in the South China Sea and the Maritime Continent, which was a structure of anomalous atmospheric circulations. This means that the Walker Circulation was weakened and it was a typical structure of atmospheric circulations revealed in El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ years.

A Study on Improvement of Ramp Installation Standard for BF Certification (BF 인증을 위한 경사로 설치기준 개선에 대한 연구)

  • Shin, Dong Hong
    • Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
    • /
    • v.26 no.2
    • /
    • pp.31-38
    • /
    • 2020
  • Purpose: The ramp is an important facility for the barrier free access and vertical circulation of users of various buildings, including users of walker, wheelchair users, stroller users, and baggage carriers. The installation standards for ramps in Korea have various problems during construction and BF certification. It is necessary to improve the criteria for ensuring practical mobility and safety. Method: Korean standard, International Standard(ISO 21542, 2011), German Standard(DIN 18040-1, 2010), Austrian Standard(OENORM B 1600, 2017), Swiss Standard(Norm SIA 500, 2009), Canadian Standard(Building Standards Guide, 2017), American Standard(ADA Standards, 2010) were investigated and analyzed. A comprehensive improvement of the ramp installation standards is proposed. Results: The ramp is a necessary facility for the barrier free access and vertical circulation of the disabled. It shall be installed with comprehensive consideration of the appropriate slope of the ramp, the distance of the continuous slope, the handle and upstand for pedestrian safety. In order to improve convenience, setting the proper slope and limiting the length of the slope are very important, and improvements are required to the levels presented by international and foreign standards. The unclear standards of Korean law and BF certification standards should be clearly improved so as not to be misinterpreted in construction and Barrier Free Certification. Implication: International and foreign standards should be reviewed to ensure practical mobility and safety. And comprehensive improvement measures should be presented through continuous research.

Environmental Mercury and Its Toxic Effects

  • Rice, Kevin M.;Walker, Ernest M. Jr.;Wu, Miaozong;Gillette, Chris;Blough, Eric R.
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.47 no.2
    • /
    • pp.74-83
    • /
    • 2014
  • Mercury exists naturally and as a man-made contaminant. The release of processed mercury can lead to a progressive increase in the amount of atmospheric mercury, which enters the atmospheric-soil-water distribution cycles where it can remain in circulation for years. Mercury poisoning is the result of exposure to mercury or mercury compounds resulting in various toxic effects depend on its chemical form and route of exposure. The major route of human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) is largely through eating contaminated fish, seafood, and wildlife which have been exposed to mercury through ingestion of contaminated lower organisms. MeHg toxicity is associated with nervous system damage in adults and impaired neurological development in infants and children. Ingested mercury may undergo bioaccumulation leading to progressive increases in body burdens. This review addresses the systemic pathophysiology of individual organ systems associated with mercury poisoning. Mercury has profound cellular, cardiovascular, hematological, pulmonary, renal, immunological, neurological, endocrine, reproductive, and embryonic toxicological effects.

Temporal and Spatial Variability of the Middle and Lower Tropospheric Temperatures from MSU and ECMWF (MSU와 ECMWF에서 유도된 중간 및 하부 대류권 온도의 시 ${\cdot}$ 공간 변동)

  • Yoo, Jung-Moon;Lee, Eun-Joo
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
    • /
    • v.21 no.5
    • /
    • pp.503-524
    • /
    • 2000
  • Intercomparisons between four kinds of data have been done to estimate the accuracy of satellite observations and model reanalysis for middle and lower tropospheric thermal state over regional oceans. The data include the Microwave Sounding Units (MSU) Channel 2 (Ch2) brightness temperatures of NOAA satellites and the vertically weighted corresponding temperature of ECMWF GCM (1980-93). The satellite data for midtropospheric temperatures are MSU2 (1980-98) in nadir direction and SC2 (1980-97) in multiple scans, and for lower tropospheric temperature SC2R (1980-97). MSU2 was derived in this study while SC2 and SC2R were described in Spencer and Christy (1992a, 1992b). Temporal correlations between the above data were high (r${\ge}$0.90) in the middle and high latitudes, but low(r${\sim}$0.65) over the low latitude and more convective regions. Their values with SC2R which included the noises due to hydrometeors and surface emission were conspicuously low. The reanalysis shows higher correlation with SC2 than with MSU2 partially because of the hydrometeors screening. SC2R in monthly climatological anomalies was more sensitive to surface thermal condition in northern hemisphere than MSU2 or SC2. The first EOF mode for the monthly mean data of MSU and ECMWF shows annual cycle over most regions except the tropics. The mode in MSU2 over the Pacific suggests the east-west dipole due to the Walker circulation, but this tendency is not clear in other data. In the first and second modes for the Ch2 anomalies over most regions, the MSU and ECMWF data commonly indicate interannual variability due to El Ni${\tilde{n}$o and La Ni${\tilde{n}$a. The substantial disagreement between observations and model reanalysis occurs over the equatorial upwelling region of the western Pacific, suggesting uncertainties in the model parameterization of atmosphere-ocean interaction.

  • PDF