• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 2015

The characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. $^{137}Cs$) related to local wind patterns around the Kori nuclear power plant (KNPP) were studied using WRF/HYSPLIT model. The cluster analysis using observed winds from 28 weather stations during a year (2012) was performed in order to obtain representative local wind patterns. The cluster analysis identified eight local wind patterns (P1, P2, P3, P4-1, P4-2, P4-3, P4-4, P4-5) over the KNPP region. P1, P2 and P3 accounted for 14.5%, 27.0% and 14.5%, respectively. Both P1 and P2 are related to westerly/northwesterly synoptic flows in winter and P3 includes the Changma or typhoons days. The simulations of P1, P2 and P3 with high wind velocities and constant wind directions show that $^{137}Cs$ emitted from the KNPP during 0900~1400 LST (Local Standard Time) are dispersed to the east sea, southeast sea and southwestern inland, respectively. On the other hands, 5 sub-category of P4 have various local wind distributions under weak synoptic forcing and accounted for less than 10% of all. While the simulated $^{137}Cs$ for P4-2 is dispersed to southwest inland due to northeasterly flows, $^{137}Cs$ dispersed northward for the other patterns. The simulated average 137Cs concentrations of each local wind pattern are $564.1{\sim}1076.3Bqm^{-3}$. The highest average concentration appeared P4-4 due to dispersion in a narrow zone and weak wind environment. On the other hands, the lowest average concentration appeared P1 and P2 due to rapid dispersion to the sea. The simulated $^{137}Cs$ concentrations and dispersion locations of each local wind pattern are different according to the local wind conditions.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.258-275
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to investigate diurnal variations of snowstorm occurred along the East Coast of the Korean Peninsula. The snowstorm which occurred on 5${\sim}$7 January 1997 have been analyzed. The pressure patterns were analyzed through surface and upper-air chart(850hPa). Diurnal variations of four areas, i. e. Youngdong, Mt. Taebaek, Youngseo and Kyungbuk regions were analyzed through wind direction and speed, cloud amounts, surface temperature, dewpoint temperature, relative humidity and sea level pressure. And snowfall amounts over four areas were analyzed through regional distribution, daily and temporal variations. The snowfall which occurred on January 5 was caused by the weak low pressure which is located in Kyusu region of Japan. The snowfall of January 6 occurred due to the Siberian high's expansion and instability. And northeasterly wind is one factor of the snowstorm which occurred in Mt. Taebaek region on 7 January. Heavy snowfall was caused by westerly wind but easterly wind occurred weak snowfall in Youngdong area. The precipitation of Kyungbuk region(eapecially, Pohang) was less than that of Youngdong region because the air mass which was not modified had influence on Kyungbuk region on 6${\sim}$7 January, 1997.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.261-270
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• 2015

Characteristics of snowfall and snow crystal habits have been investigated in the campaign of Experiment on Snow Storms At Yeongdong (ESSAY) using radiosonde soundings, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and a digital camera with a magnifier for taking a photograph of snowfall crystals. The analysis period is 6 to 14 February 2014, when the accumulated snowfall amount is 192.8 cm with the longest snowfall duration of 9 days. The synoptic situations are similar to those of the previous studies such as the Low pressure system passing by the far South of the Korean peninsula along with the Siberian High extending to northern Japan, which eventually results in the northeasterly or easterly flows and the long-lasting snowfall episodes in the Yeongdong region. In general, the ice clouds tended to exist below around 2~3 km with the consistent easterly flows, and the winds shifted to northerly~northwesterly above the clouds layer. The snow crystal habits observed in the ESSAY campaign were mainly dendrite, consisting of 70% of the entire habits. The rimed habits were frequently captured when two-layered clouds were observed, probably through the process of freezing of super-cooled droplets on the ice particles. The homogeneous habit such as dendrite was shown in case of shallow clouds with its thickness of below 500 m whereas various habits were captured such as dendrites, rimed dendrites, aggregates of dendrites, plates, rimed plates, etc in the thick cloud with its thickness greater than 1.5 km. The dendrites appeared to be dominant in the condition of cloud top temperature specifically ranging $-12{\sim}-16^{\circ}C$. However, the association of snow crystal habits with temperature and super-saturation in the cloud could not be examined in the current study. Better understandings of characteristics of snow crystal habits would contribute to preventing breakdown accidents such as a greenhouse destruction and collapse of a temporary building due to heavy snowfall, and traffic accidents due to snow-slippery road condition, providing a higher-level weather information of snow quality for skiers participating in the winter sports, and estimating more accurate snowfall amount, location, and duration with the fallspeed of solid precipitation.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.127-136
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• 2014

When the mouth of the Nakdong River, opens its floodgate, thousands of tons of litter should flown into the South Sea, moving towards nearby coast, thus causing serious social and economic damage. For this reason, in the present study, research was performed on one certain area in northeast coast of Geoje island, which is assumed as area damaged due to rainy season and typhoon in 2012, and research for trace of movement route was implemented by using buoy to identify characteristic of movement of floating debris caused from Nakdong River. Flows related to the movement of floating debris was also identified by analyzing ocean meteorological environment. As a result of the study, total 40 tons of litter composed of grasses and trees(or plants litter) were flown into Heungnam beach on 16th, Jul which is the rainy season. Plus, the location tracking buoy, which was dropped when the typhoon SANBA was coming, was passed by southern sea of Gadeok-do and was flown into Geoje beach 1 ~ 2 days after it was dropped. The wind direction was mostly northeasterly wind around the Geoje beach at the time the buoy and floating debris were flown into northeast coast and there was common sea surface currents which was flowing into the coast.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.347-359
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• 2011

This study has developed the index for diagnosis on possibility that typhoons (TYs) affect Korea. This index is closely related to the strength of the western North Pacific high (WNPH), which is calculated as a difference in meridional wind between at the highest correlation area (around Korea) and at the lowest correlation area (sea southeast of Japan) through a correlation analysis between TC frequency that affects Korea and 500 hPa meridional wind. In low frequency years that selected from Korea affecting TC index, anomalous northeasterly is strengthened from Korea to the South China Sea because the center of anomalous anticyclonic circulation is located to northwest of Korea. Thus, TCs tend to move westward from the sea east of the Philippines to the mainland China. On the other hand, in high frequency years, anomalous southwesterly serves as steering flow that more TCs move toward Korea because the center of anomalous anticyclonic circulation is located to sea east of Japan. Consequently, this study suggests that if this index is calculated using real time 500 hPa meridional winds that forecasted by dynamic models during the movement of TCs, the possibility that TCs approach Korea can be diagnosed in real time.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1089-1101
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• 2009

In this paper, changes in the intensity (e.g., central pressure and maximum sustained wind speed) of Tropical Cyclone (TC) in summer in the regions located at $30^{\circ}N$ in East Asia from 1988 to 1991 were found. The intensity of TC from 1991 to 2007 was much higher than that of TC from 1965 to 1988. The reason for this was that the frequency of TCs passing China from 1991 to 2007 was much lower than that of TCs from 1965-1988 because a northeasterly wind caused by high-pressure circulation in East Asia got severer along the East Asian coast. Instead, TCs moved from the eastern region of the Tropical West Pacific to Korea and Japan mainly after passing the East China Sea due to the low-pressure circulation strengthened in the subtropical waters of East Asia. In addition, low Vertical Wind Shear (VWS) was created along the mid-latitude regions of East Asia and the main path of TCs from 1991 to 2007. Most of the regions in the Northwestern Pacific showed higher Sea Surface Temperature (SST) from 1991 to 2007, and had a good environment where TCs were able to maintain a higher intensity on the mid-latitude. In particular, a low sensible heat flux occurred due to high snow depth in East Asia in the spring of 1991 to 2007. Accordingly, the lower layer of East Asia showed high-pressure circulation, and the sea surrounding East Asia showed low-pressure circulation. Thus, the typical west-high, east-low pattern of winter atmospheric pressure was shown. The possibility of snowfall in East Asia in spring to be used as a factor for predicting the summer intensity of TC in the mid-latitude regions of East Asia was insinuated. The characteristics of TC in a low-latitude region were the same in Korea. The latest intensity of TCs got higher, and the landing location of TCs gradually changed from the west coast to the south coast.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2020

In this study, Yeongdong cold air damming (YCAD) cases that occur in winters have been selected using automatic weather station data of the Yeongdong region of Korea. The vertical and horizontal scales of YCAD were analyzed using rawinsonde and numerical weather model. YCAD occurred in two typical synoptic patterns such that low pressure and trough systems crossing and passing over Korea (low crossing type: LC and low passing type: LP). When the Siberian high does not expand enough to the Korean peninsula, low pressure and trough systems are likely to move over Korea. Eventually this could lead to surface temperature (3.1℃) higher during YCAD than the average in the winter season (1.6℃). The surface temperature during YCAD, however, was decrease by 1.3℃. The cold air layer was elevated around 120 m~450 m for LP-type. For LC-type, the cold layer were found at less than approximately 400 m and over 1,000 m, which could be thought of combined phenomena with synoptic and local weather forcing. The cross-sectional analysis results indicate the accumulation of cold air on the east mountain slope. Additionally, the north or northeasterly winds turned to the northwesterly wind near the coast in all cases. The horizontal wind turning point of LC-type was farther from the top of the mountain (52.2 km~71.5 km) than that of LP-type (20.0 km~43.0 km).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1049-1058
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• 2004

PM10 concentration of total 48 samples collected from 4 sites (the root of Miryang University, Sangnam township Office in Miryang. the root of Changwon elementary school, and Junam reservoir in Changwon) turned out to range from 42.29 to 69.49{\mu}g/m^{3}$, and the average concentration was the root of Changwon elementary school $(69.49{\mu}g/m^{3})$>the root of Miryang university $(58.59{\mu}g/m^{3})$>Junam reservoir $(43.56{\mu}g/m^{3})$>Sangnam township Office $(42.29{\mu}g/m^{3}).> In particular, Junam reservoir, the Clean Area, had a slightly higher value than Sangnam township Office. It was thought although the site was plane and windy without pollutants around. it had a higher concentration value influenced by external factors including bigger population and a northeasterly wind due to a newly-established industrial complex nearby. As for water-soluble ions among PM10 particle collected in Miryang and Changwon area, SO42- accounted for $50{/%}$ and NO3-, was $35{\%}$, and the concentration order was S042->N03->Cl->F-. As for the average concentration of metallic components among PM10 particle collected in Miryang and Changwon area. the root of Changwon elementary school had the AI concentration, Fe concentration and Zn concentration 4 times, 3 times and 1.5 times that of Junam reservoir, respectively. The root of Miryang University had the AI concentration 2 times that of Sangnam township Office, and had Fe concentration and Zn concentration $1.2\~1.5$ times those of Sangnam township Office. When it comes to the relation between metallic elements and meteorological factors in Changwon area, the highest coefficient of correlation was between temperature and humidity with 0.92, and temperature and wind speed turned out in the reverse correlation. The coefficient of correlation between Al and Cr was as high as 0.78. Among metallic elements, the coefficient of correlation between Cu and Pb, Cd, Al were 0.84, 0.85, 0.79, respectively. It is thought that the high coefficient of correlation between Cu and Pb is ascribed to busy traffic and wind in the urban areas, Sammun-dong and Gagok-dong in Miryang. Meanwhile, the coefficients of correlation between Fe and Cu, Al, Zn, Cd, Pb were in the reverse correlation. These coefficients of correlation are attributed to the difference in pollutant sources, rather than difference in pollutant and non-pollutant.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.315-327
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• 2016

Background: This study evaluated the atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material according to local weather conditions and emission conditions. Materials and Methods: Local weather conditions were defined as 8 patterns that frequently occur around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant and emission conditions were defined as 6 patterns from a combination of emission rates and the total number of particles of the $^{137}Cs$, using the WRF/HYSPLIT modeling system. Results and Discussion: The highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0900 LST under the ME4_1 (main wind direction: SSW, daily average wind speed: $2.8ms^{-1}$), with a wide region of its high concentration due to the continuous wind changes between 0000 and 0900 LST; under the ME3 (NE, $4.1ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 1500 and 2100 LST with a narrow dispersion along a strong northeasterly wind. In the case of ME4_4 (S, $2.7ms^{-1}$), the highest mean concentration of $^{137}Cs$ occurred at 0300 LST because $^{137}Cs$ stayed around the KNPP under low wind speed and low boundary layer height. As for the emission conditions, EM1_3 and EM2_3 that had the maximum total number of particles showed the widest dispersion of $^{137}Cs$, while its highest mean concentration was estimated under the EM1_1 considering the relatively narrow dispersion and high emission rate. Conclusion: This study showed that even though an area may be located within the same radius around the Kori Nuclear Power Plant, the distribution and levels of $^{137}Cs$ concentration vary according to the change in time and space of weather conditions (the altitude of the atmospheric boundary layer, the horizontal and vertical distribution of the local winds, and the precipitation levels), the topography of the regions where $^{137}Cs$ is dispersed, the emission rate of $^{137}Cs$, and the number of emitted particles.

• Journal of Environmental Analysis, Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.264-280
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• 2018

In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured using a proton transfer reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) at the Seoul Metropolitan Area Intensive Monitoring Station (SIMS) in Korea during the summer season of 2018. The results revealed that oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) contributed a large fraction (83.6%) of the total VOCs, with methanol being the most abundant constituent (38.6%). The VOCs measured at SIMS were strongly influenced by local conditions. Non-volatile organic compounds (NVOCs), such as pinene, increased due to northeasterly wind direction in the morning, and OVOCs and anthropogenic VOCS (AVOCs) increased with northwesterly wind direction during the daytime. This was the result of the eastward location of Bukhansan National Park and the westward location of urban area from the SIMS location. The VOCs included abundant oxidized forms of VOCs, which can affect the generation of fine dust through various response pathways in the atmosphere. The real-time measurement technique using PTR-ToF-MS suggested in this study is expected to contribute to an improved scientific understanding of high-concentration fine dust events because the high temporal resolution makes it possible to analyze the variations of VOCs reflected in dynamic events.