• Title/Summary/Keyword: northern polar region

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Observations of the Aurora by Visible All-Sky Camera at Jang Bogo Station, Antarctica

  • Jee, Geonhwa;Ham, Young-Bae;Choi, Yoonseung;Kim, Eunsol;Lee, Changsup;Kwon, Hyuckjin;Trondsen, Trond S.;Kim, Ji Eun;Kim, Jeong-Han
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.203-215
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    • 2021
  • The auroral observation has been started at Jang Bogo Station (JBS), Antarctica by using a visible All-sky camera (v-ASC) in 2018 to routinely monitor the aurora in association with the simultaneous observations of the ionosphere, thermosphere and magnetosphere at the station. In this article, the auroral observations are introduced with the analysis procedure to recognize the aurora from the v-ASC image data and to compute the auroral occurrences and the initial results on their spatial and temporal distributions are presented. The auroral occurrences are mostly confined to the northern horizon in the evening sector and extend to the zenith from the northwest to cover almost the entire sky disk over JBS at around 08 MLT (magnetic local time; 03 LT) and then retract to the northeast in the morning sector. At near the magnetic local noon, the occurrences are horizontally distributed in the northern sky disk, which shows the auroral occurrences in the cusp region. The results of the auroral occurrences indicate that JBS is located most of the time in the polar cap near the poleward boundary of the auroral oval in the nightside and approaches closer to the oval in the morning sector. At around 08 MLT (03 LT), JBS is located within the auroral oval and then moves away from it, finally being located in the cusp region at the magnetic local noon, which indicates that the location of JBS turns out to be ideal to investigate the variabilities of the poleward boundary of the auroral oval from long-term observations of the auroral occurrences. The future plan for the ground auroral observations near JBS is presented.

Polar rain flux variations in northern hemisphere observed by STSAT_1 with IMF geometry

  • Hong, Jin-Hy;Lee, J.J.;Min, K.W.;Kim, K.H.
    • Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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    • 2008.10a
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    • pp.25.2-25.2
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    • 2008
  • Polar rain is a spatially uniform precipitation of electrons with energies around 100eV that penetrate into the polar cap region where geomagnetic field lines are connected to the Interplanetary Magnetic Fields (IMF). Since their occurrences depend on the IMF sector polarity, they are believed to originate from the field aligned component of the solar wind. However, statistically direct correlation between polar rain and solar wind has not been shown. In this presentation, we examined specifically the IMF strength influence on the polar rain flux variation by classifying of IMF sector polarities. For this study, we employed the polar rain flux data measured by STSAT-1 and compared them with the solar wind parameters obtained from the WIND and ACE satellites. We found the direct mutuality between polar rain flux and IMF strength with correlation coefficient above 0.5. This proportional tendency appears stronger when the northern hemisphere is in the away sector of the IMF, which could be associated with a favorable geometry for magnetic reconnection. Simple particle trajectory simulation clearly shows why polar rain intensity depends on the IMF sector polarity. These results are consistent with the direct entry model of Fairfield et al.(1985), while low correlation coefficient with solar wind density, the similarity between slops of both energy spectra shows that transport process occur without acceleration.

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Possible Formation Area of the Japan Sea Proper Water I. Subareas by the Polar Front (동해고유수의 생성가능해역 I. 극전선에 의한 해역구분)

  • 최용규;양성기
    • Journal of Environmental Science International
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.27-42
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    • 1993
  • Based on the Results of Marine Meteorological and Oceanographical Observations during 1966∼1987 and the Ten-day Marine Report during 1970∼1989 by Japan Meteorological Agency, the possible area where the Japan Sea Proper Water (JSPW) can be formed is investigated by analyzing the distribution of water types in the Japan Sea. The Japan Sea can be divided into three subareas of Northern Cold Water(NCW), Polar Front(PF) and Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) by the Polar Front identified by a 6℃ isothermal line at the sea surface in vinter. Mean position of the Polar Front is approximately parallel to the latitude 39∼40。N. The standard deviation of the Polar Front from the mean position of about 130km width is the smallest in the region between 136。E and 138。E where the Polar Front is very stable, because the branches of the Tsushima Current are converging in this region. However, standard deviations are about 180∼250km near the Korean peninsula and the Tsugaru Strait due to greater variability of warm currents. In the NCW area north of 40∼30。N and west of 138。E, the water types of the sea surface to the loom depth are similar to those of the JSPW. This fact indicates that the surface layer of the NCW area is the possible region of the JSPW formation in winter.

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A Numerical Simulation of the Interannual and Decadal Variations of the Northern Lower Stratospheric Polar Temperature (북반구 하부성층권 극기온의 경년변화와 수십년주기변화의 수치모의)

  • Choi, Wookap;Kim, Yujin;Kim, Dongjoon
    • Atmosphere
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.79-91
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    • 2009
  • Seoul National University General Circulation Model (SNUGCM) has been run for 100 years to obtain daily temperature and meridional velocity at the Northern lower stratosphere. The model results are compared with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. The polar temperature and the eddy heat flux from the model show that the model-produced climatology has well-known cold bias and weaker planetary wave activities. The model climatology also has a lag in the seasonal evolution. The relationship between the model-produced polar temperature and the eddy heat flux is investigated with respect to the interannual and decadal time scales. The interannual variation of the polar temperature is related with both total and stationary eddy heat flux in January and March, which is in agreement with observation. The model, however, does not reproduce the relationship between the decadal variation of the polar temperature and transient eddy heat flux, which is revealed in the observed data.

Mesozooplankton Distribution in the Southern Yellow Sea in Autumn (가을철 황해 남부의 중형동물플랑크톤 분포)

  • Kim, Garam;Kang, Hyung-Ku
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.41 no.4
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    • pp.251-263
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    • 2019
  • We investigated the mesozooplankton community structure during autumn in the southern Yellow Sea. Mesozooplankton density generally ranged from 352 to 2,954 ind. m-3 and varied according to different sampling stations. The copepod Paracalanus parvus s.l. and its copepodites dominated in the communities, corresponding to 57.3% in density of the total. Surface and water-column averaged salinity were positively correlated with density of total mesozooplankton, copepods and a few dominant species, and the tunicate Thalia rhomboides was negatively related to chlorophyll-a concentration. The mesozooplankton community of the study area was divided into three groups according to the cluster analysis using species composition and density: one in the northern coastal region, another in the northern offshore region, and the other in the south. The most significant indicator species for each of the groups were Labidocera euchaeta in the northern coastal region, T. rhomboides in the northern offshore region, and Themisto sp. juveniles in the south. This study provides recent data on the characteristics of the mesozooplankton community in the southern Yellow Sea, which may be valuable for gaining a better understanding of changes in the pelagic ecosystem of the Yellow Sea.

Triggering Effect of the Polar Front on the Eddies in the East Sea

  • KIM Soon Young;LEE Jae Chul;LEE Hyong Sun;SHIM Tae Bo
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.30 no.6
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    • pp.1044-1055
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    • 1997
  • To find out generating mechanism of eddies in the polar frontal zone of the East Sea, we carried out a series of numerical experiments using the nonlinear $1^{1/2}-layer$ model allowing the effect of the polar front. We assumed the polar front at about $39^{\circ}N$ in zonal direction with the cold water region in the northern part and the warm water region in the southern part of the model ocean. To examine the effect of the frontal motion without the influence of the Tsushima Current from the beginning of the geostrophic adjustment, the initial state of the model ocean was assumed motionless. Eastward current was caused by the geostrophic adjustment process in the polar frontal zone that induced a steady northward coastal current along the Korean coast to satisfy the mass continuity. The overshooting of this coastal current acted as an initial disturbance of the zonal flow field which caused meanders and eddies. The spatial scales of eddies were in good agreement with the baroclinic instability theory.

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A study on northern sea route navigation using ship handling simulation

  • Kim, Won Ouk;Youn, Dae Gwun;Lee, Young Chan;Han, Won Heui;Kim, Jong Su
    • Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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    • v.39 no.10
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    • pp.1044-1048
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    • 2015
  • Recently, the viability of the Northern Sea Route has been receiving a remarkable amount of attention. Owing to global warming, glaciers in the Arctic Ocean have been melting rapidly, which has opened up navigation routes for ships with commercial as well as research purposes. At present, vessels can be economically operated along the Northern Sea Route four months of the year. However, studies have shown that the economical operating time may increase to six months by 2020 and year-round by 2030. Even though the conditions of the Northern Sea Route are extreme, the main reason for its use is that the route is shorter than the existing route using the Suez Canal, which provides an economic benefit. In addition, 25% of the world's oil reserves and 30% of its natural gas are stored in the coastal areas of the East Siberian Arctic region. Many factors are leading to the expectation of commercial navigation using the Northern Sea Route in the near future. To satisfy future demand, the International Maritime Organization established the Polar Code in order to ensure navigation safety in polar waters; this is expected to enter into force on January 1, 2017. According to the code, a ship needs to reduce its speed and analyze the ice for safe operation before entering into it. It is necessary to enter an ice field at a right angle to break the ice safely and efficiently. This study examined the operation along the course for safe navigation of the passage under several conditions. The results will provide guidelines for traffic officers who will operate ships in the Arctic Ocean.

Community Structure and Spatial Distribution of Phytoplankton in the Polar Front Region off the East Coast of Korea in Summer (여름철 한국 동해 극전선해역에서의 식물플랑크톤의 군집구조와 분포)

  • PARK Joo-Suck;KANG Chang-Keun;AN Kyeng-Ho
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.237-247
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    • 1991
  • To characterize the community structure and spatial distribution of phytoplankton, observations on seawater temperature, salinity, nutrients, primary productivity and abundance and species composition of phytoplankton were made in the polar front region and its neighborhood off the east coast of Korea in summer 1990. Among the 96 taxa identified, Rhizosolenia setigera and Thalassionema nitzschioides were the most dominant species. The assemblage at the surface and 50 m depth was quite different in the northern inshore part of the study area but similar in the southern and offshore part. Principal component analysis by the species abundance showed that the phytoplankton consisted of the communities representing the surface of the northern inshore part with the neritic-warm dinoflagellates, the Northern Korean Cold Water with the cold water diatoms and the southern and offshore part, which seems to represent the Eastern Korean Warm Water, with the warm water diatoms. At the frontal region, diatoms were mixed with warm and cold water species. Primary productivity and phytoplankton standing crops were higher at the front than the neighboring waters. Nutrients were markedly high at the Northern Korean Cold Water. Horizontal advection of the Northern Korean Cold Water accompanied by nutrient supply seems to contribute to the high phytoplankton biomass at the front.

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Characteristics and Variation of Size-fractionated Zooplankton Biomass in the Northern East China Sea (동중국해 북부해역의 동물플랑크톤 크기그룹별 생체량의 분포 특성 및 변화)

  • Choi, Keun-Hyung;Lee, Chang-Rae;Kang, Hyung-Ku;Kang, Kyeong-A
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.135-147
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    • 2011
  • Zooplankton is an important constituent in assessing ecosystem responses to global warming. The northern East China Sea is an important ecosystem for carbon cycling with a net sink of carbon dioxide. Despite their importance as a major component in carbon cycling, relatively little is known about zooplankton biomass structure and its regulating factors in the northern East China Sea. This study examined zooplankton biomass distribution pattern in the region from multiple cruises encompassing various seasons between 2004 and 2009. Results showed that zooplankton biomass exhibits less cross-shelf gradient in general with declining biomass to the eastern shelf towards the Tsushima Current Water. Size-fractionated biomass showed that the 1.0~2.0 mm size group, mostly copepods, dominated zooplankton biomass, comprising 38 to 48% of total biomass. Smaller zooplankton (0.2~1.0 mm) biomass, consisting mainly of Paracalanus spp, a particle eating herbivorous copepod, was positively related to chlorophyll-a concentration, but no relationship was established for larger zooplankton (1.0~5.0 mm). Spatially-averaged mean total zooplankton biomass was also highly related to chlorophyll-a concentration. These result suggest that the long-term trend of zooplankton biomass increase in this region is partly accounted for by the increases of phytoplankton biomass and productivity underway in the region. However, the underlying mechanisms of how sea surface warming in the study area leads to increased phytoplankton biomass and productivity remains unclear.