• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.339-352
• /
• 2006

Seasonal and tidal variations of density stratification in the Saemangeum waters are investigated based on synoptic CTD observations between July 2003 and September 2005. CTD data used in this study are those obtained after closing the dike No. 4 and before closing the two final gaps, the Sinsi and the Garyeok, on the Saemangeum tidal harrier. A total of 19 field campaigns comprehend a wide temporal spectrum, that is, few seasons, spring and neap tides, and high and low waters. In addition, ADCPs were anchored and CTDs were cast at three stations for 25 h in July 2005. Water columns are vertically homogeneous in autumn and winter. The vertical homogeneity persists in spring but with an occasional weak stratification in i:he northern part of the Gogunsan Islands. Increased reshwater runoff tends to stabilize the water columns and strong density stratification is established in summer. The mean potential energy anomaly (PEA) in summer used as a stratification parameter is the largest $(27.7\;J\;m^{-3})$ in the northern part of the Gogunsan Islands where the Geum River discharge dominates, the smallest $(16.9\;J\;m^{-3})$ is in the inner area of the barrier, in between the two $(21.6\;J\;m^{-3})$ in the southern part of the Gogunsan Islands. Whereas the stratification is generally strengthened in summer, strong winds or large tidal currents over the shallow depths frequently destratify the water column near the mouth of river runoff inside the tidal barrier. Periodic stratification, the development of stratification on the ebb and its breakdown on the flood, occurs in the mid-area inside the barrier induced by the tidal straining, which can also be found in the results of 25 h observation.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.451-461
• /
• 2001

Backward trajectories were calculated from five urban areas in Korea in 1999 in order to assess the effects of long-range transport on the air quality variations on an annual basis. The five areas selected were Seoul, Mokpo, Cheju, Pohang, and Kangnung, which are evenly distributed along the shoreline in Korea. Meteorological fields used in the work were prepared by the Korea Meteorological Administration using the RDAPS(Regional Data Assimilation and Prediction System) with grid spacing of 40 km and 12-h intervals(0000 and 1200 UTC). Upwind regions around the Korean Peninsula were divided into five sectors including the region to the northeast(I), northern China (II), southern China(III), the northwestern Pacific(IV), and Japan(V). The influence of air flow from these sectors on the variations of carbon monoxide concentrations in the selected areas was investigated. The results showed that the influences of Sectors II and III were persistent although some influences of adjacent sectors were observed according to the location of the areas. In general, the concentration of carbon monoxide tended to go up under the influence of Sectors II and III but tended to go down under the influence of Sector I. However, the influences of other sectors were rather mixed. The importance of the long-range transport was examined when the whole country was uniformly influenced by Sectors II and III with strong synoptic winds. The effects of long-range transport were large in Mokpo and Cheju, close to Sectors II and III, where the local emissions were considered small. The effects of local emissions were significant in Pohang and Seoul; such effect was more distinct in Pohang located farther from Sectors II and III.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.185-196
• /
• 2011

The performance assessment in radiosonde observation on the special observation program (ProbeX-2009) is performed and the characteristics of precipitation using Auto Weather System (AWS) and radiosonde data in 2009 at the Ulleungdo are investigated. The launching time, observation time, and maximum altitude of radiosonde are satisfied with the regulation from Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) but the duration of observational time of radiosonde is much shorter than that of the ProbeX-2007 because the altitude of launching site is higher than others in 2007. From the analysis of trajectories of radiosonde, most radiosondes at the Ulleungdo tend to move into the east because the westerly prevail at the middle latitude. However, when the Okhotsk high is expanded to the Korean peninsula and the north-westerly winds strengthen over the East Sea as the subtropical high is retreated, radiosonde tends to move into the south-west and south-east, respectively. Maximum distance appears at the end of observation level before May but the level of maximum distance is changed into 100 hPa after June because the prevailing wind direction is reversed from westerly to easterly at the stratosphere during summer time. The condition of precipitation was more correlated with the dynamic instability except Changma season. Precipitation in 2009 at the Ulleungdo occurred under the marine climate so that total precipitation amounts and precipitation intensity were increased and intensified during nighttime. The local environment favorable for the precipitation during nighttime was while the wind speed at the surface and the inflow from the shoreline were strengthened. Precipitation events also affected by synoptic condition but the localized effect induced by topography was more strengthened at the northern part of Ulleungdo.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.89-114
• /
• 2008

Interrelationship between heavy rainfalls and related with low-level jets(LLJ) is analyzed by using fifty cases of heavy rainfall events occurred over the Korean peninsula from 1992 to 2001. Those cases are classified with four synoptical features. There are 32% chances that the low pressure exist in heavy rainfall over than 150 mm per day case by case. Secondly Changma front and front zone account for 28% of all cases. The ratio of marine tropical boundary type and trough type record 22% and 18% respectively. The moist and warm south-westerly winds associated with low-level jets have been induced convective instability and baroclinic instability. Therefore, heavy rainfall due to the approach of a low pressure occurred at September and before Changma. During the period of Changma, this type has been happened heavy rainfall when low pressure and stationary front has vibrated south and north. Changma type has longer the duration time of precipitation than other types. Third type, located with marine Tropical boundary, have mainly rained in August and September. The last trough case locally downpoured in short time with developing cell. The occurrence low-level jets related to heavy rainfall has increased over 12.5 m/s wind speed. The result is that 43 heavy rainfalls out of 50 cases reach peak at the time of maximum precipitation intensity. Also, the variation of wet number and K-index corresponded with the variation of wind speed. It is found that the number of frequency of low-level jets with southwestward direction has been increased and these jets are mainly passed from the southwest toward to the northeast of the Korean peninsula in that time.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2021

High-resolution wind resources maps (maps, here after) with spatial and temporal resolutions of 100 m and 3-hours, respectively, over South Korea have been produced and evaluated for the period from July 2016 to June 2017 using Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) Post Processing (KMAPP). Evaluation of the 10 m- and 80 m-level wind speed in the new maps (KMAPP-Wind) and the 1.5 km-resolution KMA NWP model, Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System (LDAPS), shows that the new high-resolution maps improves of the LDAPS winds in estimating the 10m wind speed as the new data reduces the mean bias (MBE) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) by 33.3% and 14.3%, respectively. In particular, the result of evaluation of the wind at 80 m which is directly related with power turbine shows that the new maps has significantly smaller error compared to the LDAPS wind. Analyses of the new maps for the seasonal average, maximum wind speed, and the prevailing wind direction shows that the wind resources over South Korea are most abundant during winter, and that the prevailing wind direction is strongly affected by synoptic weather systems except over mountainous regions. Wind speed generally increases with altitude and the proximity to the coast. In conclusion, the evaluation results show that the new maps provides significantly more accurate wind speeds than the lower resolution NWP model output, especially over complex terrains, coastal areas, and the Jeju island where wind-energy resources are most abundant.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.381-394
• /
• 2022

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) National Typhoon Center has been officially releasing reanalyzed best tracks for the previous year's northwest Pacific typhoons since 2015. However, while most typhoon researchers are aware of the data released by other institutions, such as the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) Tokyo, they are often unfamiliar with the KMA products. In this technical note, we describe the best track data released by KMA, and the algorithms that are used to generate it. We hope that this will increase the usefulness of the data to typhoon researchers, and help raise awareness of the product. The best track reanalysis process is initiated when the necessary database of observations-which includes satellite, synoptic, ocean, and radar observations-has become complete for the required year. Three categories of best track information-position (track), intensity (maximum sustained winds and central pressure), and size (radii of high-wind areas)-are estimated based on scientific processes. These estimates are then examined by typhoon forecasters and other internal and external experts, and issued as an official product when final approval has been given.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.119-133
• /
• 2022

From 2015 to 2021, high-concentration fine dust episodes with a daily average PM_2.5 concentration of 50 ㎍ m^-3 or higher were selected and classified into 3 types [long range transport (LRT), mixed (MIX) and Local emission and stagnant (LES)] using synoptic chart and backward trajectory analysis. And relationships between the fine particle data (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentration and PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio) and meteorological data (PBLH, Ta, WS, U-wind, and Rainfall) were analyzed using hourly observation for the classification episodes on the Korean Peninsula and the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA). In LRT, relatively large particles such as dust are usually included, and in LES, fine particle is abundant. In the Korean peninsula, the rainfall was relatively increased centered on the middle and western coasts in MIX and LES. In the SMA, wind speed was rather strong in LRT and weak in LES. In LRT, rainfall was centered in Seoul, and in MIX and LES, rainfall appeared around Seoul. However, when the dust cases were excluded, the difference between the LRT and other types of air quality was decreased, but the meteorological variables (Ta, RH, Pa, PBLH, etc.) were further strengthened. In the case of the Korean Peninsula, it is difficult to find a clear relationship because regional influences (topographical elevation, cities and coasts, etc.) are complexly included in a rather wide area. In the SMA, it is analyzed that the effects of urbanization such as the urban heat island centered on Seoul coincide with the sea and land winds, resulting in a combination of high concentrations and meteorological phenomena.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.185-197
• /
• 2022

This study aimed to analyze the wind-induced mechanical energy (WME) of a proposed super high-rise and long-span transmission tower-line system (SHLTTS), which, in 2021, is the tallest tower-line system with the longest span. Anew index - the WME, accounting for the wind-induced vibration behavior of the whole system rather than the local part, was first proposed. The occurrence of the maximum WME for a transmission tower, with or without conductors, under synoptic winds, was analyzed, and the corresponding formulae were derived based on stochastic vibration theory. Some calculation data, such as the drag coefficient, dynamic parameters, windshielding areas, mass, calculation point coordinates, mode shape and influence function, derived from wind tunnel testing on reducedscale models and finite element software were used in calculating the maximum WME of the transmission tower under three cases. Then, the influence of conductors, wind speed, gradient wind height and wind yaw angle on WME components and the energy transfer relationship between substructures (transmission tower and conductor) were analyzed. The study showed that the presence of conductors increases the WME of transmission towers and changes the proportion of the mean component (MC), background component (BC) and resonant component (RC) for WME; The RC of WME is more susceptible to the wind speed change. Affected by the gradient wind height, the WME components decrease. With the RC decreasing the fastest and the MC decreasing the slowest; The WME reaches the its maximum value at the wind yaw angle of 30°. Due to the influence of three factors, namely: the long span of the conductors, the gradient wind height and the complex geometrical profile, it is important that the tower-line coupling effect, the potential for fatigue damage and the most unfavorable wind yaw angle should be given particular attention in the wind-resistant design of SHLTTSs

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.119-134
• /
• 2023

The synoptic, thermodynamic, and dynamic characteristics of a snowfall event that occurred in the Yeongdong region on March 1-2, 2021, were investigated. Surface weather charts, ERA5 reanalysis data, rawinsonde data, GK-2A satellite data, and WISSDOM data were used for analysis. The snow depth, exceeding 10 cm, was observed at four weather stations during the analysis period. The maximum snow depth (37.4 cm) occurred at Bukgangneung. According to the analysis of the weather charts, old and dry air was trapped within relatively warm, humid air in the upper atmosphere over the East Sea and adjacent Yeongdong region. This caused unstable atmospheric conditions that led to developing convective clouds and snowfall over Bukgangneung. In particular, based on the thermodynamic and kinematic vertical analysis, we suggest that strong winds attributable to the vertical gradient of potential temperature in the low layer and the development of convective instability due to cold advection played a significant role in the occurrence of snowfall in the Yeongdong region. These results were confirmed from the vertical analysis of the rawinsonde data.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.42 no.5
• /
• pp.479-495
• /
• 2021

This study investigates the synoptic (patterns of southern highs, northern lows, and lows rapidly developed by tropopause folding), thermodynamic, and kinematic characteristics of a strong wind that occurred in the Yeongdong region of South Korea on March 18-20, 2020. To do so, we analyzed data from an automatic weather station (AWS), weather charts, the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis, rawinsonde, and windprofiler radars. The daily maximum instantaneous wind speed, exceeding 20 m s^-1, was observed at five weather stations during the analysis period. The strongest instantaneous wind speed (27.7 m s^-1) appeared in the Daegwallyeong area. According to the analysis of weather charts, along with the arrangement of the north-south low-pressure line, the isobars were moved to the Yeongdong area. It showed a sine wave shape, and a strong wind developed owing to the strong pressure gradient. On March 19, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, with a drop in atmospheric pressure of 19 hPa or more within one day, a continuous strong wind was developed by the synoptic structure of the developing polar low. In the adiabatic chart observed in Bukgangneung, the altitude of the inversion layer was located at an altitude of approximately 1-3 km above the mountaintop, along with the maximum wind speed. We confirmed that this is consistent with the results of the vertical wind field analysis of the rawinsonde and windprofiler data. In particular, based on the thermodynamic and kinematic vertical analyses, we suggest that strong winds due to the vertical gradient of potential temperature in the lower layer and the development of potential vorticity due to tropopause folding play a significant role in the occurrence of strong winds in the Yeongdong region.