• ALGAE
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2007

A new genus and species of marine dinoflagellate from the open western equatorial Pacific Ocean, Gynogonadinium aequatoriale gen. et nov. sp., is described from light and scanning electron micrographs. This laterally compressed unarmoured taxon had a triangular cell body in lateral view with two different elongate extensions. The end of the apical extension was spherical with a groove that arises from the epicone in the ventral side of the cell. The antapical extension was longer. The dorsal part of the cingulum showed undulated lists in each margin. The nucleus was ellipsoidal and perpendicularly crossed the cingulum. Dimensions of cells were 90-110 μm long and 43-55 μm wide in lateral view at the level of the cingulum. Gynogonadinium is placed in the order Gymnodiniales, family uncertain.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.190-199
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• 2008

To investigate hydrographic structure and characteristics of the tropical ocean in the eastern and the western Pacific, CTD(Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) data along $131^{\circ}W$ and $137^{\circ}-142^{\circ}E$ in July-August 2005 were analyzed. Sea surface temperature along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in summer is highest in the Equatorial Counter Current(ECC) because of the high-temperature water greater than $28^{\circ}C$ moving through the ECC from the western Pacific to the eastern Pacific in spring and summer. Based on the evidence of the presence of low salinity and high dissolved oxygen water in the North Equatorial Current(NEC), we suggested that the low salinity water moved from the Gulf of Panama to the east of Philippine along the North Equatorial Current(NEC). The South Equatorial Current(SEC) had the most saline water from surface to deep layer because the saline water from the Subtropical South Pacific Ocean moved to the north. The salinity minimum layer was observed at 500-1500 m depth along $131.5^{\circ}W$. The water mass with the salinity minimum layer in the north of $5^{\circ}N$ came from the North Pacific Intermediate Water(NPIW) and that in the south of $5^{\circ}N$ came from the Antarctic Intermediate Water(AAIW), which was more saline than the NPIW. Cyclonic cold eddy with a diameter of about 200km was found in $4-6^{\circ}N$. Sea surface temperature along $131.5^{\circ}W$ in the eastern Pacific was lower than along $137^{\circ}-142^{\circ}E$ in the western Pacific; on the other hand, sea surface salinity in the eastern Pacific was higher than in the western Pacific. Subsurface saline water from the Subtropical South Pacific Ocean was less saline in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific. Salinity and density(${\sigma}_{\theta}$) of the salinity minimum layer south of $14^{\circ}N$ was higher in the eastern Pacific than in the western Pacific.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.359-372
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• 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.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.135-146
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• 2002

The upper ocean in the western equatorial Pacific warm pool during TOGA-COARE IMET IOP was simulated using a one-dimensional turbulence closure ocean mixed-layer model, which considered recent observations, such as the remarkable enhancement of turbulent kinetic energy near the ocean surface. The shoaling/deepening of the mixed layer and warming/cooling subsurface water in the model were in reasonable agreement with the observations. There was a significant improvement in simulating the cooling trend of the sea surface temperature under a westerly wind burst with heavy rainfall over previous simulations using bulk mixed-layer models. By contrast the simulated sea surface salinity (SSS) departed significantly from the observed SSS, especially during a westerly burst and the subsequent restratification period, which might be due to 3-D control processes, such as downwelling/upwelling or advection.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.343-356
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• 2007

This paper explored the characteristics of the interannual sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the equatorial Pacific by analyzing the simulated data from a newly coupled general circulation model (CGCM). The CGCM simulates well the realistic ENSO variability as well as the mean climatologies including SST, seasonal cycle, precipitation, and subsurface structures. It is argued that the zonal gradient of SST in the equatorial Pacific is responsible for the over-energetic SST variability near the equatorial western boundary in the model. This variability could also be related to the strong westward propagation of SST anomalies which resulted from the enhanced the zonal advection feedback. The simple two-strip model supports this by sensitivity tests. Analysis of the relationship between zonal mean thermocline depth and NINO3 SST index suggested that the ENSO variability is controlled by the recharge-discharge oscillator of the model. The lead-lag regression result reveals that heat buildup process in the western equatorial Pacific associated with the increase of the barrier layer thickness (BLT) is a precedent condition for El $Ni\widetilde{n}o$ to develop.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 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.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.296-310
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• 2021

El Niño is a typical ocean and atmospheric interaction phenomenon that causes climate variability on a global scale, so it has been used as a very important teaching and learning material in the field of earth science. This study summarized the distribution and dynamics of the equatorial current system. The variability of the equatorial current system during the El Niño period and the associated misconceptions were also investigated. The North Equatorial Current, South Equatorial Current, and Equatorial Under Current significantly weaken during El Niño years. However, the variability of the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) during the El Niño period cannot be generalized because the NECC shows southward movement with weakening in the northern area and strengthening in the southern area, along its central axis. In the western Pacific, the NECC is further south during El Niño years, and thus, it has an eastward flow in the equatorial western Pacific. Our analysis of a mass media science article, a secondary school exam, and a survey for incumbent teachers confirmed disparate ideas about the equatorial current system's variability during El Niño periods. This is likely due to inaccurate interpretations of the existing El Niño schematic diagram and insufficient understanding of the equatorial current and wave dynamics.

• Atmosphere
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.47-68
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• 2003

Recent advances in the studies on the interaction between Asian monsoon and ENSO cycle are reviewed in this paper. Through the recent studies, the East Asian summer monsoon circulation system and the East Asian climate system have proposed. Moreover, different responses of the (winter and summer) monsoon circulation and summer rainfall anomalies in East Asia to ENSO cycle during its different stages have been understood further. Recently, the studies on the dynamical effect of East Asian monsoon on the thermal variability of the tropical western Pacific and ENSO cycle have been greatly advanced. These studies demonstrated further that ENSO cycle originates from the tropical western Pacific, and pointed out that the dynamical effect of East Asian winter and summer monsoons on ENSO cycle may be through the atmospheric circulation and zonal wind anomalies over the tropical western Pacific, which can excite the oceanic Kelvin wave and Rossby waves in the equatorial Pacific. Besides, the scientific problems in the interaction between Asian monsoon and ENSO cycle, which should be studied further in the near future, are also pointed out in this paper.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.395-405
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• 2006

We measured the fugacity of $CO_2$ $(fCO_2)$, temperature, salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll a in the surface water of the western North Pacific $(4^{\circ}30'{\sim}33^{\circ}10'N,\;144^{\circ}20'{\sim}127^{\circ}35'E)$ in September 2002. There were zonally several major currents which have characteristics of specific temperature and salinity (NECC, North Equatorial Counter Current; NEC, North Equatorial Current; Kuroshio etc.). Surface $fCO_2$ distribution was clearly distinguished into two groups, tropical and subtropical areas of which boundary was $20^{\circ}N$. In the tropical Int surface $fCO_2$ was mainly controlled by temperature, while in the subtropical area, surface $fCO_2$ was dependent on total inorganic carbon contents. Air-sea $CO_2$ flux showed a large spatial variation, with a range of $-0.69{\sim}0.79 mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$. In the area of AE (Anticyclonic Eddy), SM(Southern Mixed region) and NM (Northern Mixed region), the ocean acted as a weak source of $CO_2$ $(0.6{\sim}0.79 mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$. In NECC, NEC, Kuroshio and ECS (East China Sea), however, the fluxes were estimated to be $-0.3mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for the first three regions and $-1.2mmole\; m^{-2}day^{-1})$ for ECS respectively, indicating that these areas acted as sinks of $CO_2$. The average air-sea flux in the entire study area was $0.15mmole\;m^{-2}day^{-1})$, implying that the western North Pacific was a weak source of $CO_2$ during the study period.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.105-109
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• 2018

El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ is the largest fluctuation in the climate system, and it can lead to effects influencing humans all over the world. An El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become substantially higher than average. We investigated the change in sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean during the El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ period of 2015 and 2016 using the advanced very-high-resolution radiometer (AVHRR) of NOAA Satellites. We calculated anomalies of the Pacific equatorial sea surface temperature for the normal period of 1981-2010 to identify the variation of the 2015 El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ and warm water area. Generally, the warm water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean shifts eastward along the equator toward the coast of South America during an El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ period. However, we identified an additional warm water region in the $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ 1+2 and Peru coastal area. This indicates that there are other factors that increase the sea surface temperature. In the future, we will study the heat coming from the bottom of the sea to understand the origin of the heat transport of the Pacific Ocean.