• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.352-355
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• 2006

In this study, the seasonal and inter-annual variation of sea surface current in the Gulf of Thailand were revealed through the use of WOD temperature and salinity data and monthly sea surface dynamic heights (SSDH) from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-2 altimetry data during 1995-2001. The mean dynamic height and mean geostrohic current were derived from the climatological data while SSDH data gave monthly dynamic heights and their geopstrophic currents. The mean geostrophic current showed strong southward and westward flow of South China Sea water along the gulf entrance. Counterclockwise eddy in the inner gulf and the western side of the gulf entrance associated with upwelling in the area. Seasonal geostrophic currents show basin-wide counterclockwise circulation during the southwest monsoon season and clockwise circulation during the northeast monsoon season. Upwelling was enhanced during the southwest monsoon season. The circulation patterns varied seasonally and inter-annually probably due to the variation in wind regime. And finally we found that congregation, spawning, and migration routes of short-bodied mackerel conform well with coastal upwelling and surface circulation in the gulf.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.247-256
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• 1997

Some climatological features of summer precipitation in Korea were studyed using the precipitation data of 15 stations of Korea Meteorological Administration where more than 30 years data since 1961 are available. The study included statistical analysis of precipitation by climatological normal values, and comparison of inter-annual variation of annual precipitation, summer precipitation and precipitation during the Changma. The relationships between them were also analyzed. It was revealed that, in Korea, more than half of annual precipitation was concentrated in summer season (June to August), and it was usually influenced by the Changma. The ratio of summer and Changma precipitation to the annual precipitation showed that effect of Changma was bigger in the central inland area, while comparatively smaller in the east coastal area and Cheju Island due to topographical effects. It was also shown that the fluctuation of the annual precipitation was less variable than those of summer and Changma precipitations. Thus, it was suggested that understanding the variation features of summer precipitation associated with monsoon activities was very important to figure out the change of annual precipitation for the national water resources planning.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2004

The variation of volume transport during the period from 1965 to 2000 through the western channel of the Korea Strait was estimated by obtaining an relation function between the ADCP volume transport and the geostrophic volume transport estimated by the sea level difference between Pusan and Izuhara. The estimated climatological mean volume transport during past 36 years has seasonal variation with a minimum of 1.15 Sv in February and a maximum of 1.88 Sv in October. The mean volume transport for 36 years is 1.51 Sv. The annual mean volume transport has an interannual variation with a minimum of 1.26 Sv in 1968 and maximum of 1.90 Sv in 1973, with three dominant periods of variations of 14.96 years, 4.96 years and 2.99 years.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.539-550
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• 2009

This study found that tropical cyclones (TCs) formed for fall in 2007 over the western North Pacific were distributed in high-latitudes comparing to 56-year (1951-2006) climatological mean. The frequency and latitude of TC genesis became higher than 56-year climatological mean from September onward in 2007 and all the TCs that formed to the north of 20$^{\circ}$N was also distributed after September in 2007. These characteristics of TC genesis for fall in 2007 could be confirmed through analyzing various variables, such as a large-scale atmospheric circulation, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), vertical zonal wind shear, and sea surface temperature (SST). On the other hand, a frequency of the TC that occurred to the north of 200N showed a clear interdecadal variation and its decreasing trend was distinctive in recent years. Its intensity was also weaker that TCs that did to the south of 20$^{\circ}$N. However, a latitude of TC genesis showed an increasing trend until recent years, whose variation was consistent with trend that through a SST analysis, warm SST went north in recent years.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.140-140
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• 2022

Recently an accurate quantification of streamflow under various climatological and anthropogenic factors and separation of their relative contribution remains challenging, because variation in streamflow may result in hydrological disasters. In this study, we evaluated the factors responsible for variation in streamflow in Korean watersheds, quantified separately their contribution using different Budyko-based functions, and identified hydrological breakpoint points. After detecting that the hydrological break point in 1995 and time series were divided into natural period (1966-1995), and disturbed period (1996-2014). During the natural period variation in climate tended to increase change in streamflow. However, in the disturbed period both climate variation and anthropogenic activities tended to increase streamflow variation in the watershed. Subsequently, the findings acquired from different Budyko-based functions were observed sensitive to selection of function. The variation in streamflow was observed in the response of change in climatic parameters ranging 46 to 75% (average 60%). The effects of anthropogenic activities were observed less compared to climate variation accounts 25 to 54% (average 40%). Furthermore, the relative contribution was observed to be sensitive corresponding to Budyko-based functions utilized. Moreover, relative impacts of both factors have capability to enhance uncertainty in the management of water resources. Thus, this knowledge would be essential for the implementation of water management spatial and temporal scale to reduce the risk of hydrological disasters in the watershed.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.201-218
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to investigate climatological variations from the sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a), and phytoplankton size class (PSC), using NOAA AVHRR, SeaWiFS, and MODIS data in the South Sea of Korea (SSK) and East China Sea (ECS). 26-year monthly SST and 13-year monthly Chl-a and PSC data, separated by whole and nine-different areas, were used to understand seasonal and inter-annual variations. SST and Chl-a clearly showed seasonal variations: higher SST and Chl-a were observed during the summer and spring, and lower values occurred during the winter and summer. The annual and monthly SST over 26 years increased by $0.2{\sim}1.0^{\circ}C$. The annual and monthly Chl-a concentration over 13 years decreased by $0.2{\sim}1.1mg/m^3$. To determine more detailed spatial and temporal variations, we used the combined data with monthly SST, Chl-a, and PSC. Between 1998 and 2010, the inter-annual trend of Chl-a decreased, with decreasing micro- and nano-size plankton, and increasing pico-size plankton. In regional analysis, the west region of the study area was spatially and temporally correlated with the area dominated by decreasing micro-size plankton; while the east region was less sensitive to coastal and land effects, and was dominated by increasing pico-size plankton. This phenomenon is better related to one or more forcing factors: the increased stratification of ocean driven by changes occurring in spatial variations of the SST caused limited contributions of nutrients and changed marine ecosystems in the study area.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2002

Seasonal variation in global transport calculated from an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) has been assessed through the comparison with observational estimates. The OGCM based on the GFDL MOM1.1 has honzontal grid interval of 10 and 21 verticle levels, and was integrated for 31 years forced by climatological wind stress, freshwater flux, and heat flux with restoring. General features of the world ocean circulation are well reproduced, which include the western boundary currents such as the Kuroshio and the Agulhas Current, the Equatorial Current system, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and the Weddell Sea gyres. Also well resolved is the remarkable seasonal variation in the depth-integrated flows in the northern Indian Ocean due to the monsoonal wind. Monthly variation is found to be dominant in the transport of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current through the Drake Passage in accordance with observational estimates. It has been shown that the mid-latitude depth-integrated flows obey the Sverdrup relation, except for some regions such as continental shelf regions where the interaction between stratification and bottom topography is critical.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2020

In this study, the climatological spatio-temporal variation of strong wind and gust wind in Korea during the period from 1993 to 2018 was analyzed using daily maximum wind speed and daily maximum instantaneous wind speed data recorded at 61 observations. Strong wind and gust wind were defined as 14 m s^-1 and 20 m s^-1, which are the same as the KMA's criteria of special weather report. The frequency of strong wind and gust wind occurrence was divided into regions with the higher 25 percent (Group A) and the lower 75 percent (Group B). The annual frequency of strong wind and gust wind occurrence tended to be decreased in most parts of the Korean peninsula. In Group A with stations located at coastal region, strong wind and gust wind occurred most frequently in winter with higher frequency at 1200~1600 LST and 2300~2400 LST due to influence of East Asian winter monsoon. In addition, a marked decreasing trend throughout the four seasons was shown at Daegwallyeong, Gunsan and Wando observations. In contrast, it can be found in Group B that the monthly frequency of strong wind and wind gust occurrence was higher in August and September by effect of typhoon and hourly frequency was higher from 1200 LST to 1800 LST.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.613-627
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• 2013

In this study, to understand the May aridity condition of each region for the year of the worst drought on record in each duration (1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24 months), monthly climate data recorded from 1973 to 2006 at 53 climatological stations in South Korea were used to estimate the FAO Penman-Monteith reference potential evapotranspiration (RET). Monthly precipitation and RET were used to estimate P/RET as aridity index and variation index (VI) of P/RET, and these indexes are compared with SPI (Standard Precipitation Index). Fifty three climatological stations were grouped into 20 regions, so that May aridity conditions of 20 regions were studied. Furthermore, regional trend of May aridity index was studied by applying Mann-Kendall trend analysis, Spearman rank test, and Sen's slope estimator. The study results show that variation index (VI) of P/RET and SPI have close correlation. Throughout the country, as the duration is shorter, May aridity was more severe. In case of 3-month and 6-month duration, most of region show significant or non-significant decreasing trend of aridity index. However, no region show significant decreasing trend of aridity index in case of 12-month and 24-month duration.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2008

Analyzing the results of East Sea Regional Ocean Model using a 3-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme, we investigated spatial and temporal variability of the North Korean Cold Current (NKCC) in the East Sea. The climatological monthly mean transport of the NKCC clearly shows seasonal variation of the NKCC within the range of about 0.35 Sv ($=0^6m^3/s$), which increases from its minimum (about 0.45 Sv) through December-January to March, decreases during March and May, and then increases again to the maximum (about 0.8 Sv) in August-September. The volume transport of the NKCC shows interannual variation of the NKCC with the range of about 1.0 Sv that is larger than seasonal variation. The southward current of the NKCC appears often not only in summer but in winter as well. The width of the NKCC is about 35 km near the Korean coast and its core is located under the East Korea Warm Current. The North Korean Cold Water (NKCW), characterized by low salinity and low temperature, is located both under the Tsushima Warm Water and in the western side of the maximum southward current of the NKCC that means the NKCC advects the NKCW southward along the Korean coast. It is revealed that the intermediate low salinity water, formed off the Vladivostok in winter, flows southward to the south of $37^{\circ}N$ through $2{\sim}3$ paths; one path along the Korean coast, another one along $132^{\circ}E$, and the middle path along $130^{\circ}E$. The path of the intermediate low salinity varies with years. The reanalysis fields suggest that the NKCW is advected through the paths along the Korean coast and along $130^{\circ}E$.