• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.278-295
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• 2021

China's shutdown due to COVID-19 in 2020 reduced air pollutant emissions, which is located on the windward side of South Korea. The positive temperature anomaly and negative zonal wind anomaly from northern Mongolia to South Korea through eastern China presented warm and stationary air masses during January and February 2020. Decreased concentrations of PM10, NO₂, and O₃ were measured at Seokmo-ri and Pado-ri, located in the central-western region of South Korea, due to decreased emissions in China from January to March 2020. After China's shutdown from January to March 2020, in Pado-ri, the ratio of monthly average concentrations in that period with those of PM10 and O₃ in the last four years decreased by approximately 0.7-4.7% and 9.2-22.8%, respectively. In January 2020, during the Lunar New Year holidays in China, concentrations of PM10, NO₂, and O₃ at Seokmo-ri and Pado-ri decreased just as much as it did during the same period in the last four years. However, average concentrations in January 2020 decreased before and after the Lunar New Year holidays in China when compared with those in January of the last four years. In Seokmori, ratios of actual and predicted values (${\bar{O}_s$/M) for PM10, NO₂, and O₃ concentrations were calculated as 70.8 to 89.7%, 70.5 to 87.1%, and 72.5 to 97.1%, respectively, during January and March 2020. Moreover, those of Pado-ri were 79.6 to 93.5%, 67.7 to 84.9%, and 83.7 to 94.6%, respectively. In January 2020, the aerosol optical depth (AOD) data showed a higher distribution than that of the last four years due to photochemical reactions in regions from northern Mongolia to eastern China and the Korean Peninsula. However, the decrease in AOD values compared with those of the last four years was attributed to the decrease in emissions of precursors that generate secondary aerosols in China during March 2020.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.237-251
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• 2011

This study presents a review on the recent climate change over the Korean peninsula, which has experienced a significant change due to the human-induced global warming more strongly than other regions. The recent measurement of carbon dioxide concentrations over the Korean peninsula shows a faster rise than the global average, and the increasing trend in surface temperature over this region is much larger than the global mean trend. Recent observational studies reporting the weakened cold extremes and intensified warm extremes over the region support consistently the increase of mean temperature. Surface vegetation greenness in spring has also progressed relatively more quickly. Summer precipitation over the Korean peninsula has increased by about 15% since 1990 compared to the previous period. This was mainly due to an increase in August. On the other hand, a slight decrease in the precipitation (about 5%) during Changma period (rainy season of the East Asian summer monsoon), was observed. The heavy rainfall amounts exhibit an increasing trend particularly since the late 1970s, and a consecutive dry-day has also increased primarily over the southern area. This indicates that the duration of precipitation events has shortened, while their intensity became stronger. During the past decades, there have been more stronger typhoons affecting the Korean peninsula with landing more preferentially over the southeastern area. Meanwhile, the urbanization effect is likely to contribute to the rapid warming, explaining about 28% of total temperature increase during the past 55 years. The impact of El Nino on seasonal climate over the Korean peninsula has been well established - winter [summer] temperatures was generally higher [lower] than normal, and summer rainfall tends to increase during El-Nino years. It is suggested that more frequent occurrence of the 'central-Pacific El-Nino' during recent decades may have induced warmer summer and fall over the Korean peninsula. In short, detection and attribution studies provided fundamental information that needed to construct more reliable projections of future climate changes, and therefore more comprehensive researches are required for better understanding of past climate variations.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.227-239
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• 2019

Heavy snowfall events frequently occur in the Gangwon province, and the snowfall amount significantly varies in space due to the complex terrain and topographical modulation of precipitation. Understanding the spatial characteristics of heavy snowfall and its prediction is particularly challenging during snowfall events in the easterly winds. The easterly wind produces a significantly different atmospheric condition. Hence, it brings different precipitation characteristics. In this study, we have investigated the microphysical characteristics of snowfall in the windward and leeward sides of the Taebaek mountain range in the easterly condition. The two snowfall events are selected in the easterly, and the snow particles size distributions (SSD) are observed in the four sites (two windward and two leeward sites) by the PARSIVEL distrometers. We compared the characteristic parameters of SSDs that come from leeward sites to that of windward sites. The results show that SSDs of windward sites have a relatively wide distribution with many small snow particles compared to those of leeward sites. This characteristic is clearly shown by the larger characteristic number concentration and characteristic diameter in the windward sites. Snowfall rate and ice water content of windward also are larger than those of leeward sites. The results indicate that a new generation of snowfall particles is dominant in the windward sites which is likely due to the orographic lifting. In addition, the windward sites show heavy aggregation particles by nearby zero ground temperature that is likely driven by the wet and warm condition near the ocean.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.20-24
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• 2019

Purpose Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) scan is used in nuclear medicine, for which $^{99m}Tc-sestaMIBI$ is administered by intravenous injection. However, the breast uptake rate of $^{99m}Tc-sestaMIBI$ is less than 1% of the total dose administered, relying on blood flow conditions of organs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of changes to body temperature on the uptake of $^{99m}Tc-sestaMIBI$ in breast tissue. Materials and Methods We investigated 30 breast cancer patients who performed more than one follow-up MBI scan. All scans were acquired by Discovery 750B (Genral Electric Healthcare, USA). $^{99m}Tc-sestaMIBI$ injected with 740 MBq (20 mCi), after 60 minutes, gained bilateral breast CC (CranioCaudal), MLO (Medio Lateral Oblique) View. The follow-up examination was then classified into 15 body temperature control group and 15 body temperature non-control group, and gained breast image in the same way as before. The breast uptake rate was analyzed in the MLO View of the opposite side of the lesion, and blind images were evaluated. Results The breast uptake rate increased by 30.31% in the body temperature control group and it was statistically significant(P<0.05), and 0.96% in the body temperature non-control group, and it was not statistically significant(P=0.955). There was a significant difference in the uptake rate between the body temperature control and the non-control group of P value of 0.01. Evaluation of blind images showed significant results in terms of the quality of the images. Conclusion Increased breast tissue uptake was observed when the subject was kept warm. When the body temperature was raised after injection, dilation of the peripheral blood vessels can be achieved. As a result, the blood flow became smooth and the breast uptake rate increased. In addition, an increase in breast tissue uptake will improve the quality of images.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.440-446
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• 2019

This study examined the growth and fruiting characteristics and the acorns biomass allometric equation of Quercus acuta to provide reference data related to the growth and seed supply during the restoration of evergreen forest in the warm temperate zone in Wando Island, Korea. For the growth survey, we selected and cut three sample trees having a mean diameter at breast height (DBH) to investigate the growth analysis through a stem analysis. We then developed the allometric equation (Y=aX+b) of DBH and tree height growth characteristic (Y) according to the average tree age (X) of sampled trees and estimated the DBH and tree height according to the age of Quercus acuta. For the fruiting survey, we selected and cut three sample trees with full fruit in August when, they are at the early mature fruiting stage, for the analysis. To develop the acorns/tree biomass allometric equation of Quercus acuta, we selected and cut ten sample trees of evenly divided diameters. The acorns biomass allometric equation ($Y=aX^b$) was derived by analyzing the biomass (Y) and the growth characteristics (X), such as the DBH, tree height, crown width, and crown height. The allometric equations of average tree age according to DBH and tree height were Y=0506X-2.064 ($R^2=0.999$) and Y=0.321X+0689 ($R^2=0.992$), respectively. The developed allometric equations estimated that the DBH were 3.0cm, 8.1cm, 13.1cm and 18.2cm while the tree heights were 3.9m, 7.1m, 10.3m, and 13.5m when the tree ages were 10, 20, 30, and 40 years, respectively. The analysis results of fruiting characteristics showed that the length, the diameter, the number of fruits, and the number of acorns per fruiting branch had the statistically significant difference and tended to decrease from the upper part to the lower part of crown downward. The total number of acorns was 1,312 acorns/tree in the upper part, 115 acorns/tree in the middle part, and 5 acorns/tree in the lower part of the crown. The allometric equation for the amount of acorns with DBH as an independent variable was $Y=0.003X^{4.260}$ with the coefficient of determination at 0.896. Although the coefficient of determination of the allometric equation using only DBH as the independent variable was lower than that using DBH and tree height ($D^2H$), it would be more practical to consider only DBH as the independent variable because of measurement errors.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.332-350
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• 2019

Zonal hydrographic section measurements at $39.7^{\circ}N$ were conducted between $129.0^{\circ}E$ and $131.3^{\circ}E$ from August 7 to 25 in 2017 using an underwater glider. The glider traveled about 440 km for about 18 days along the 106 line of the regular shipboard measurements in the National Institute of Fishery Science (NIFS) and obtained twice a hydrographic section with high horizontal resolution. Even under the strong East Korea Warm Current with maximum speed of 0.8 m/s across the section, the glider successfully maintained the designated path within an RMS distance of 400 m. By comparing with the NIFS shipboard hydrographic section, it is confirmed that high spatial resolution measurements obtained from a glider were necessary to properly observe front and eddy variability in the East Sea where a typical spatial scale is smaller than the open oceans. From the glider section measurements, a new lens-shaped eddy was found in the thermocline. The lens-shaped anticyclonic eddy had 10~13 km in horizonal width and about 200 m in height like a typical submesoscale eddy resided within the thermocline, which was firstly named as Korea intrathermocline eddy (Keddy). The Keddy has the distinguishing characteristics of a typical intrathermocline eddy, such as a central core with anomalously weak stratification, a convex shaped lens bounded by the stratification anomaly, an interior maximum of velocity at 170 m, no surface appearance of the geopotential field, a small or comparable horizontal width relative to the first baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation, and the Rossby nubmer of 0.7.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.151-162
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• 2021

The recent trend of using ornamental grasses as essential landscaping plants has become more prominent, while the demands for today's gardens are to solve the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and urban ecosystem services. Nowadays, the interest in ornamental grasses in South Korea is dramatically increasing, as is the number of available species and varieties. To find the better use of ornamental grasses in urban green spaces, more research should be conducted to understand the current state of ornamental grasses and their characteristics in South Korea. and a practical way of applying ornamental grasses to urban gardens should be devised. For that purpose, this research carried out a survey on the current state of ornamental grasses distributed in the landscaping plants market in South Korea. The grasses were analyzed according to the growing conditions, including habitats, ecological, and horticultural growth characteristics. As a result, 40 genera, 104 species, and 264 taxa of ornamental grasses were verified to be distributed in the market for garden plants in South Korea in August 2021. Poaceae and Cyperaceae are 69.7% and 28.4% among them, respectively. Juncaceae and Typhaceae are of little importance. No Restionaceae is supplied yet. Most of the Poaceae ornamental grasses prefer sunny open land, but others from various habitats are used too. The majority of the Cyperaceae ornamental grasses originate from woodlands, woodland edges, water's edges, and marshes. The market supplies fourteen genera of cool-season and sixteen genera of warm-season grasses. According to life-types of grasses, thirty-eight species are evergreens or semi-evergreens. Thirty-four species are deciduous. Seven species are summer-dormant. According to the growth habits of the grasses, thirty-three species are runners and fifty-one species are clumpers. There are fifteen taxa of ornamental grasses recently selected that have become native grasses.

• Korea Science and Art Forum
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.219-230
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• 2019

According to the National Statistical Office, the number of senior citizens aged 65 or over has exceeded 7 million as of 2017, and the number of senior citizens who live alone among them exceeded 1.3 million. Most of the senior citizens who live alone suffer from absolute poverty (68.5% of them has monthly income less than 500,000 won) and they have difficulties for basic living in the blind spot of our society. In particular, the heating is quite a serious issue for the senior citizens who live alone and belong to vulnerable social group in the winter, and to make it worse, they are exposed to frequent fire accidents due to the negligence in handling electric appliances such as electric heaters and electric pads. The main reason the indoor tent products are being used by senior citizens who live alone is that it saves energy, ensures warm sleep, and improves fire safety. Following the expansion of the indoor tent market, this study focused on the idea that there is a need for an in door tent suitable for senior citizens who live alone and belong to low income bracket and intended to improve its efficiency in relation to use, resting, and storage. For this, a basic survey was conducted on the products of existing brands to analyze advantages and disadvantages and it was possible to understand the demands that consumers have for existing products. Accordingly, a survey on consumer preference was conducted using a designed model and the Zabara typp, which demonstrated the best efficiency in terms of installation convenience, space usability, and appearance design was selected. Based on the results of selection, the product design and final prototype were completed. The results and details of the study are as follows; First, factors that were not recognized in product development phase could be identified through usability survey and interview with actual users. Second, for the effective aspect of the prototype, senior citizens could install and fold the tend more easily and quickly than expected. Based on these results of this study, it is expected that not only senior citizens who live alone but also various other users can use the tent to create another comfortable private space indoors.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.503-514
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• 2020

Climate change leads to changes in phenological response and movement of plant habitats. Korea's evergreen broad-leaved forest has widened its distribution area compared for the past 20 years, and the range of its native habitats is moving northward. We analyzed climate indices such as the warmth index, the cold index, the lowest temperature in the coldest month, and the annual average temperature, which are closely related to vegetation distribution, to predict the change in the native habitat of Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees. We also analyzed the change and spatial distribution to identify the habitat climate characteristics of 8 species of Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees distributed in the warm temperate zone in Korea. Moreover, we predicted the natural habitat change in the 21st century according to the climate change scenario (RCP 4.5/8.5), applying the MaxEnt species distribution model. The monthly average climate index of the 8 species of Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees was 116.9±10.8℃ for the temperate index, the cold index 3.9±3.8℃, 1495.7±455.4mm for the annual precipitation, 11.7±3.5 for the humidity index, 14.4±1.1℃ for the annual average temperature, and 1.0±2.1℃ for the lowest temperature of winter. Based on the climate change scenario RCP 4.5, the distribution of the Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees was analyzed to expand to islands of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, adjacent areas of the west and south coasts, and Goseong, Gangwon-do on the east coast. In the case of the distribution based on the climate change scenario RCP 8.5, it was analyzed that the distribution would expand to all of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, and most regions except for some parts of Jeollabuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and the capital region. For the conservation of Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees to prepare for climate change, it is necessary to establish standards for conservation plans such as in-situ and ex-situ conservation and analyze various physical and chemical characteristics of native habitats. Moreover, it is necessary to preemptively detect changes such as distribution, migration, and decline of Lauraceae evergreen broad-leaved trees following climate change based on phenological response data based on climate indicators and establish conservation management plans.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.227-237
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• 2020

Microclimatic data were measured, and the human thermal sensation was analyzed at 10 local climate zones based on the major land cover classification to investigate the thermal environment of urban areas during summer nighttime. From the results, the green infrastructure areas (GNIAs) showed an average air temperature of 1.6℃ and up to 2.4℃ lower air temperature than the gray infrastructure areas (GYIAs), and the GNIAs showed an average relative humidity of 9.0% and up to 15.0% higher relative humidity. The wind speed of the GNIAs and GYIAs had minimal difference and showed no significance at all locations, except for the forest location, which had the lowest wind speed owing to the influence of trees. The local winds and the surface roughness, which was determined based on the heights of buildings and trees, appeared to be the main factors that influenced wind speed. At the mean radiant temperature, the forest location showed the maximum value, owing to the influence of trees. Except at the forest location, the GNIAs showed an average decrease of 5.5℃ compared to GYIAs. The main factor that influenced the mean radiant temperature was the sky view factor. In the analysis of the human thermal sensation, the GNIAs showed a "neutral" thermal perception level that was neither hot nor cold, and the GYIAs showed a "slightly warm" level, which was a level higher than those of the GNIAs. The GNIAs showed a 3.2℃ decrease compared to the GYIAs, except at the highest forest location, which indicated a half-level improvement in the human thermal environment.