• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1167-1180
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• 2017

Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are essential for forecasting one-day-ahead solar irradiance. In order to evaluate the performance of the WRF in forecasting solar irradiance over the Korean Peninsula, we compared WRF prediction data from 2008 to 2010 corresponding to weather observation data (OBS) from the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA). The WRF model showed poor performance at polluted regions such as Seoul and Suwon where the relative Root Mean Square Error (rRMSE) is over 30%. Predictions by the WRF model alone had a large amount of potential error because of the lack of actual aerosol radiative feedbacks. For the purpose of reducing this error induced by atmospheric particles, i.e., aerosols, the WRF model was coupled with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. The coupled system makes it possible to estimate the radiative feedbacks of aerosols on the solar irradiance. As a result, the solar irradiance estimated by the coupled system showed a strong dependence on both the aerosol spatial distributions and the associated optical properties. In the NF (No Feedback) case, which refers to the WRF-only stimulated system without aerosol feedbacks, the GHI was overestimated by $50-200W\;m^{-2}$ compared with OBS derived values at each site. In the YF (Yes Feedback) case, in contrast, which refers to the WRF-CMAQ two-way coupled system, the rRMSE was significantly improved by 3.1-3.7% at Suwon and Seoul where the Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations, specifically, those related to the $PM_{10}$ size fraction, were over $100{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$. Thus, the coupled system showed promise for acquiring more accurate solar irradiance forecasts.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.E2
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• pp.92-101
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the capability of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in simulating fog and visibility in local airports over Korea. The WRF model system is statistically evaluated for the 48-fog cases over Korea from 2003 to 2006. Based on the 4-yr evaluations, attempts are made to improve the simulation skill of fog and visibility over Korea by revising the statistical coefficients in the visibility algorithms of the WRF model. A comparison of four existing visibility algorithms in the WRF model shows that uncertainties in the visibility algorithms include additional degree of freedom in accuracy of numerical fog forecasts over Korea. A revised statistical algorithm using a linear-regression between the observed visibility and simulated hydrometeors and humidity near the surface exhibits overall improvement in the visibility forecasts.

• Atmosphere
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.197-208
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• 2011

The objective of this study is to describe the short-range forecast system of the Korea Air Force (KAF) and to verificate its performace in 2009 summer. The KAF weather prediction model system, based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (i.e., the KAF-WRF), is configured with a parent domain overs East Asia and two nested domains with the finest horizontal grid size of 2 km. Each domain covers the Korean peninsula and South Korea, respectively. The model is integrated for 84 hour 4 times a day with the initial and boundary conditions from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) data. A quantitative verification system is constructed for the East Asia and Korean peninsula domains. Verification variables for the East Asia domain are 500 hPa temperature, wind and geopotential height fields, and the skill score is calculated using the difference between the analysis data from the NCEP GFS model and the forecast data of the KAF-WRF model results. Accuracy of precipitation for the Korean penisula domain is examined using the contingency table that is made of the KAF-WRF model results and the KMA (Korea Meteorological Administraion) AWS (Automatic Weather Station) data. Using the verification system, the operational model and parallel model with updated version of the WRF model and improved physics process are quantitatively evaluated for the 2009 summer. Over the East Aisa region, the parallel experimental model shows the better performance than the operation model. Errors of the experimental model in 500 hPa geopotential height near the Tibetan plateau are smaller than errors in the operational model. Over the Korean peninsula, verification of precipitation prediction skills shows that the performance of the operational model is better than that of the experimental one in simulating light precipitation. However, performance of experimental one is generally better than that of operational one, in prediction.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.403-412
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• 2018

In this study, a three-dimensional variational(3DVAR) data assimilation system was developed for the operational numerical weather prediction(NWP) system at the Republic of Korea Air Force Weather Group. The Air Force NWP system utilizes the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) meso-scale regional model to provide weather information for the military service. Thus, the data assimilation system was developed based on the WRF model. Experiments were conducted to identify the nested model domain to assimilate observations and the period appropriate in estimating the background error covariance(BEC) in 3DVAR. The assimilation of observations in domain 2 is beneficial to improve 24-h forecasts in domain 3. The 24-h forecast performance does not change much depending on the estimation period of the BEC in 3DVAR. The results of this study provide a basis to establish the operational data assimilation system for the Republic of Korea Air Force Weather Group.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.735-742
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• 2015

In this paper, we compare and verify the prediction accuracy and feasibility for wind resources on a wind farm using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, which is a numerical weather-prediction model. This model is not only able to simulate local weather phenomena, but also does not require automatic weather station (AWS), satellite, or meteorological mast data. To verify the feasibility of WRF to predict the wind resources required from a wind farm pre-feasibility study, we compare and verify measured wind data and the results predicted by WAsP. To do this, we use the Pyeongdae and Udo sites, which are located on the northeastern part of Jeju island. Together with the measured data, we use the results of annual and monthly mean wind speed, the Weibull distribution, the annual energy production (AEP), and a wind rose. The WRF results are shown to have a higher accuracy than the WAsP results. We therefore confirmed that WRF wind resources can be used in wind farm pre-feasibility studies.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.173-173
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• 2018

본 연구는 기상-수문 분야에서 고해상도 수문기상요소를 산출하기 위해 WRF-Hydro(Weather Research and Forecasting and Model Hydrological modeling extension package) 모형을 한반도 대상으로 구축하였다. 모형은 미국 대기 연구 국립센터(NOAA)에서 개발된 커뮤니티형 고해상도 예측모델이므로 미국 등에서 활발히 활용되기 시작하였으나 아직 우리나라 적용성에 대한 연구는 많지 않다. 본 연구에서는 WRF-Hydro 모형을 한반도에 적절히 사용하기 위해 표면유출, 보수깊이, 표면거칠기와 같은 파라미터를 보정하였다. WRF-Hydro는 지역 기상모형인 WRF와 연계하여 coupled WRF/WRF-Hydro 모형을 구동하였으며, 고해상도 유출값을 얻기 위해 미국 지질조사국(USGS)에서 제공한 HydroSHEDS(Hydrological data and map based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales)를 이용하였다. 본 연구에서는 관측된 유출값을 Markov Chain Monte Carlo(MCMC) 방법을 활용하여 모형값과 비교하여 파라미터 보정을 수행하였으며, 파라미터 보정된 WRF/WRF-Hydro를 활용해 한반도 과거 홍수 및 가뭄 사상을 모의하여 결과를 분석하였다.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.261-272
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• 2012

In this study, climate variability was predicted by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model under two different scenarios (current trends scenario; SC1 and managed scenario; SC2) for future urban growth over the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA). We used the urban growth model, SLEUTH (Slope, Land-use, Excluded, Urban, Transportation, Hill-Shade) to predict the future urban growth in SMA. As a result, the difference of urban ratio between two scenarios was the maximum up to 2.2% during 50 years (2000~2050). Also, the results of SLEUTH like this were adjusted in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to analysis the difference of the future climate for the future urbanization effect. By scenarios of urban growth, we knew that the significant differences of surface temperature with a maximum of about 4 K and PBL height with a maximum of about 200 m appeared locally in newly urbanized area. However, wind speeds are not sensitive for the future urban growth in SMA. These results show that we need to consider the future land-use changes or future urban extension in the study for the prediction of future climate changes.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.539-549
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to estimate hourly Asian dust emission flux in springtime by using the optimized Weather Research Forecasting model (WRF) in order to accurately predict the horizontal flux of Asian dusts. Asian dust emission flux using 5 empirical formulas such as US EPA, Park and Inn, Wang, The Goddard Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport (GOCART) and Dust Entrainment and Deposition (DEAD) were calculated and compared by using classified land-use types and size distribution at various locations in China and Mongolia together with the hourly meteorological elements of the WRF model. As a result, the empirical formula in US EPA among them, which was considered the various conditions such as vegetation, soil type and terrain, was better than the other 4 empirical formulas. However, these formulas were adjusted hourly and vertically in time and space because there was different order and time resolution of dust emissions from original empirical formulas.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.244-252
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• 2021

Wind plays an important role in cases of unexpected radioactive pollutant dispersion, deciding distribution and concentration of the leaked substance. The accurate prediction of wind has been challenging in numerical weather prediction models, especially near the surface because of the complex interaction between turbulent flow and topographic effect. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. ¹³⁷Cs) according to the simulated boundary layer around the HANARO research nuclear reactor in Korea using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF)-California Puff (CALPUFF) model system. We examined the impacts of orographic drag on wind field, stability calculation methods, and planetary boundary layer parameterizations on the dispersion of radioactive material under a radioactive leaking scenario. We found that inclusion of the orographic drag effect in the WRF model improved the wind prediction most significantly over the complex terrain area, leading the model system to estimate the radioactive concentration near the reactor more conservatively. We also emphasized the importance of the stability calculation method and employing the skillful boundary layer parameterization to ensure more accurate low atmospheric conditions, in order to simulate more feasible spatial distribution of the radioactive dispersion in leaking scenarios.

• Atmosphere
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.319-332
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• 2006

This study examines the capability of the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model in reproducing heavy rainfall that developed over the Korean peninsula on 26-27 June 2005. The model is configured with a triple nesting with the highest horizontal resolution at a 3-km grid, centered at Yang-dong, Gyeonggi-province, which recorded the rainfall amount of 376 mm. In addition to the control experiment employing realistic orography over Korea, two consequent sensitivity experiments with 1) no orography, and 2) no land over Korea were designed to investigate orographic effects on the development of heavy rainfall. The model was integrated for 48 hr, starting at 1200 UTC 25 June 2005. The overall features of the large-scale patterns including a cyclone associated with the heavy rainfall are reasonably reproduced by the control run. The spatial distribution of the simulated rainfall over Korea agreed fairly well with the observed. The amount of predicted maximum rainfall at the 3-km grid is 377 mm, which located about 50 km southeast from the observed point, Yang-Dong, indicating that the WRF model is capable of predicting heavy rainfall over Korea at the cloud resolving resolutions. Further, it was found that the complex orography over the Korean peninsula plays a role in enhancing the rainfall intensity by about 10%. The land-sea contrast over the peninsula was fund to be responsible for additional 10% increase of rainfall amount.