• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

We investigated the interannual relationship between chlorophyll concentrations in the western North Pacific and tropical cyclones (TCs) in the western North Pacific by analyzing data collected for >12 years. Despite the short-term scale (2~3 weeks) in the contribution of tropical cyclones to phytoplankton, the current study revealed that the long-term chlorophyll variability in the western North Pacific is profoundly related to long-term variability in the frequency of TCs. It was also found that the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) tends to control such relationships between the 2 bio-physical systems. This result suggests a significant climatic relationship between TC activity and marine phytoplankton, and also suggests the possibility of more accurate estimations of primary production in the western North Pacific.

• Atmosphere
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.451-466
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• 2010

This edition has continued since 2006 tropical cyclone season our effort to provide standard tropical cyclone summaries by the western North Pacific basin and detailed reviews of operationally or meteorologically significant tropical cyclones to document significant challenges and shortfalls in the tropical cyclone warning system to serve as a focal point for research and development efforts. The tropical cyclone season of 2009 in the western North Pacific basin is summarized and the main characteristics of general atmospheric circulation are described. Also, the official track and intensity forecasts of these cyclones are verified. The total number is less than 59-year (1951~2009) average frequency of 26.4. The 2009 western North Pacific season was an inactive one, in which 22 tropical storms generated. Of these, 13 TCs reached typhoon (TY) intensity, while the rest 9 TCs only reached severe tropical storm (STS) and tropical storm (TS) intensity - three STS and six TS storms. On average of 22 TCs in 2009, the Korea Meteorological Administration official track forecast error for 48 hours was 219 km. There was a big challenge for individual cyclones such as 0902 CHAN-HOM, 0909 ETAU, and 0920 LUPIT resulting in significant forecast error, with both intricate tracks and irregular moving speed. There was no tropical cyclone causing significant direct impact to the country. The tropical cyclone season in 2009 began in May with the formation of KUJIRA (0901). In September and October, ten TSs formed in the western North Pacific in response to enhanced convective activity. On the other hand, the TC activity was very weak from June to July. It is found that the unusual anti-cyclonic circulation in the lower level and weak convection near the Philippines are dominant during summertime. The convection and atmospheric circulation in the western North Pacific contributed unfavorable condition for TC activity in the 2009 summertime. Year 2009 has continued the below normal condition since mid 1990s which is apparent in the decadal variability in TC activity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.339-352
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• 2015

This study analyzed the change in tropical cyclone (TC) activity according to the fluctuation in July-to-September average North Pacific Oscillation index (NPOI) and its underlying large-scale environment during the last 37 years from 1977 to 2013. For this purpose, seven years with highest index NPOI value (positive NPOI phase) and another seven years with lowest NPOI index value (negative NPOI phase) among the 37 years were selected as sample after excluding the ENSO years. During the positive NPOI phase, TCs were created in the east of tropical and subtropical western North Pacific and moved to the west from the Philippines toward the southern region in China or toward far eastern sea of Japan. Meanwhile, during the negative NPOI phase, TCs tended to proceed to the north toward Korea or Japan passing East China Sea from the eastern sea of the Philippines. As a result, also in the TC recurvature, TCs in positive NPOI phase showed a tendency of recurving toward more eastern direction compared to TCs in negative NPOI phase. Hence, TC intensity was stronger in negative NPOI phase which allowed more time for obtaining energy from the ocean.

• Atmosphere
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2024

The seasonal forecast skill of tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Northern Hemisphere from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) Global Seasonal Forecast System version 6 (GloSea6) hindcast has been verified for the period 1993 to 2016. The operational climate prediction system at KMA was upgraded from GloSea5 to GloSea6 in 2022, therefore further validation was warranted for the seasonal predictability and variability of this new system for TC forecasts. In this study, we examine the frequency, track density, duration, and strength of TCs in the North Indian Ocean, the western North Pacific, the eastern North Pacific, and the North Atlantic against the best track data. This methodology follows a previous study covering the period 1996 to 2009 published in 2020. GloSea6 indicates a higher frequency of TC generation compared to observations in the western North Pacific and the eastern North Pacific, suggesting the possibility of more TC generation than GloSea5. Additionally, GloSea6 exhibits better interannual variability of TC frequency, which shows relatively good correlation with observations in the North Atlantic and the western North Pacific. Regarding TC intensity, GloSea6 still underestimates the minimum surface pressures and maximum wind speeds from TCs, as is common among most climate models due to lower horizontal resolutions. However, GloSea6 is likely capable of simulating slightly stronger TCs than GloSea5, partly attributed to more frequent 6-hourly outputs compared to the previous daily outputs.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.313-324
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• 2008

In order to understand the variation of ENSO-related oceanic environments in the tropical and North Pacific Ocean, spatio-temporal variations of sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) and sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) are analyzed from distributions of complex empirical orthogonal functions (CEOF). Correlations among warm pool variation, southern oscillation index, and ocean surface currents were also examined with respect to interannual variability of the warm pool in western tropical Pacific. Spatio-temporal distributions of the first CEOF modes for SSTA and SSHA indicate that their variabilities are associated with ENSO events, which have a variance over 30% in the North Pacific. The primary reasons for their variabilities are different; SST is predominantly influenced by the change of barrier layer thickness, while SSH fluctuates with the same phase as propagation of an ENSO episode in the zonal direction. Horizontal boundary of warm pool area, which normally centered around $149^{\circ}E$ in the tropics, seemed to be expanded to the middle and eastern tropical regions by strong zonal currents through the mature phase of an ENSO episode.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.335-345
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• 2008

In order to study spatial variabilities and major controlling factors, we measured fugacity of $CO_2(fCO_2)$, temperature, salinity and nutrients in surface waters of the North Pacific($7^{\circ}30'{\sim}33^{\circ}15'N$, $123^{\circ}56'E{\sim}164^{\circ}24'W$) between September$\sim$October 2007. The North Pacific and the marginal sea were distinguished by $fCO_2$ distribution as well as unique characteristics of temperature and salinity. There was a distinct diurnal SST variation in the tropical North Pacific area, and surface $fCO_2$ coincidently showed diurnal variation. In the North Pacific area, surface $fCO_2$ was mainly controlled by temperature, while in the marginal sea area it was primarily dependent on alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations. Air-sea $CO_2$ flux showed a large spatial variation, with a range of $-6.10{\sim}5.06\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$. The center of subtropical gyre of North Pacific acted as a source of $CO_2(3.09{\pm}0.95\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1})$. Tropical western North Pacific (i.e. the 'warm pool' area and the subtropical western North Pacific) acted as weak sources of $CO_2$($1.07{\pm}1.20\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$ and $0.50{\pm}0.53\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, respectively). In the marginal sea, however, the flux was estimated to be $-0.68{\pm}1.17\;mmol\;m^{-2}day^{-1}$, indicating that this area acted as a sink for $CO_2$.

• Atmosphere
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.183-198
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to summarize the tropical cyclone (TC) activity of 2008 over the western North Pacific including the verification of the official track and intensity forecast errors of these TCs. The TC activity - frequency, Normalized Typhoon Activity (NTA), and life span - was lower than 58-year (1951-2008) average. 22 tropical cyclones of tropical storm (TS) intensity or higher formed in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in 2008. The total number is less than 58-year average frequency of 26.4. Out of 22 tropical cyclones, 11 TCs reached typhoon (TY) intensity, while the rest 11 TCs only reached severe tropical storm (STS) and tropical storm (TS) intensity - six STS and five TS storms. One typhoon KALMAEGI (0807) among them affected the Korea peninsula. However, no significant impact - casualty or property damage - was reported. On average of 22 TCs in 2008, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) official track forecast error for 48 hours was 229 km. There was a big challenge for individual cyclones such as 0806 FENGSHEN and 0817 HIGOS presenting significant forecast error, with both intricate tracks and irregular moving speed. The tropical cyclone season in 2008 began in April with the formation of NEOGURI (0801). In May, four TCs formed in the western North Pacific in response to enhanced convective activity. On the other hand, the TC activity was very weak from June to August. It is found that the unusual anti-cyclonic circulation in the lower level and weak convection near the Philippines are dominant during summertime. The convection and atmospheric circulation in the western North Pacific contributed unfavorable condition for TC activity in the 2008 summertime. The 2008 TC activity has continued the below normal state since mid 1990s which is apparent the decadal variability in TC activity.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.151-161
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• 2018

Understanding solar influences on extreme weather is important. Insight into the causes of extreme weather events, including the solar-terrestrial connection, would allow better preparation for these events and help minimize the damage caused by disasters that threaten the human population. In this study, we examined category three, four, and five tropical cyclones that occurred in the western North Pacific Ocean from 1977 to 2016. We compared long-term trends in the positions of tropical cyclone occurrence and development with variations of the observed sunspot area, the solar North-South asymmetry, and the southern oscillation index (SOI). We found that tropical cyclones formed, had their maximum intensity, and terminated more northward in latitude and more westward in longitude over the period analyzed; they also became stronger during that period. It was found that tropical cyclones cannot be correlated or anti-correlated with the solar cycle. No evidence showing that properties (including positions of occurrence/development and other characteristics) of tropical cyclones are modulated by solar activity was found, at least not in terms of a spectral analysis using the wavelet transform method.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.269-279
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• 2007

This study investigates the possibility of seasonal prediction for tropical cyclone activity in the western North Pacific by using a dynamical modeling approach. We use data from the SMIP/HFP (Seasonal Prediction Model Inter-comparison Project/Historical Forecast Project) experiment with the Korea Meteorological Administration's GDAPS (Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System) T106 model, focusing our analysis on model-generated tropical cyclones. It is found that the prediction depends primarily on the tropical cyclone (TC) detecting criteria. Additionally, a scaling factor and a different weighting to each ensemble member are found to be essential for the best predictions of summertime TC activity. This approach indeed shows a certain skill not only in the category forecast but in the standard verifications such as Brier score and relative operating characteristics (ROC).

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

During the northern burning season, biomass burning is found north of the equator, while satellite estimates from the residual-type method such as the CCD method show higher ozone south of the equator. This discrepancy is called the tropical Atlantic paradox (Thompson et ai., 2000). We use satellite and ground-based measurements to investigate the paradox. When the background tropospheric ozone over the Pacific Ocean from TOMS measurements is subtracted from the latitudinal total ozone distribution (e.g. TOMS-Pacific method), the results show remarkable agreement with the latitudinal stratospheric ozone distribution using the CCD method. The latitudinal tropospheric ozone distribution using the CCD method, with a persistent maximum over the southern tropical Atlantic, is also seen in the latitudinal tropospheric ozone distribution using the TOMS-Pacific method. It suggests that the complicated CCD method can be replaced by the simple TOMS-Pacific method. However, the tropical Atlantic paradox exists in the results of both the CCD and TOMS-Pacific methods during the northern buming season. In order to investigate this paradox, we compare the latitudinal ozone distributions using the CCD and TOMS-Pacific methods by using the SAGE measurements (e.g. TOMS-SAGE method) and the SHADOZ ozonesoundings (e.g. TOMS-Sonde method) assuming zonally invariant stratospheric ozone, which is the same assumption as of the CCD method. During the northern burning season, the latitudinal distributions in the tropospheric ozone derived from the TOMS-SAGE and TOMS-Sonde methods show higher tropospheric ozone over the northern tropical Atlantic than the southern Atlantic due to a stronger gradient in stratospheric ozone relative to that from the CCD and TOMS-Pacific methods. This indicates that the latitudinal tropospheric ozone distribution can be changed depending on the data that is used to determine the latitudinal stratospheric ozone distribution. Therefore, there is a possibility that the north-south gradient in stratospheric ozone over the Atlantic can be a solution of the paradox.