• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.251-263
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• 2019

Sentinel-2 Multi Spectral Instrument(MSI) launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) offered high spatial resolution optical products, enhanced temporal revisit of five days, and 13 spectral bands in the visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared wavelengths similar to Landsat mission. Landsat satellite imagery has been applied to various previous studies, but Sentinel-2 optical satellite imagery has not been widely used. Currently, for global coverage, Sentinel-2 products are systematically processed and distributed to Level-1C (L1C) products which contain the Top-of-Atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. Furthermore, ESA plans a systematic global production of Level-2A(L2A) product including the atmospheric corrected Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BOA) reflectance considered the aerosol optical thickness and the water vapor content. Therefore, the Sentinel-2 L2A products are expected to enhance the reliability of image quality for overall coverage in the Sentinel-2 mission with enhanced spatial,spectral, and temporal resolution. The purpose of this work is a quantitative comparison Sentinel-2 L2A products and fully simulated image to evaluate the applicability of the Sentinel-2 dataset in cultivated land growing various kinds of crops in Korea. Reference image of Sentinel-2 L2A data was simulated by airborne hyperspectral data acquired from AISA Fenix sensor. The simulation imagery was compared with the reflectance of L1C TOA and that of L2A BOA data. The result of quantitative comparison shows that, for the atmospherically corrected L2A reflectance, the decrease in RMSE and the increase in correlation coefficient were found at the visible band and vegetation indices to be significant.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.5_3
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• pp.933-948
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• 2023

Atmospheric aerosols not only have adverse effects on human health but also exert direct and indirect impacts on the climate system. Consequently, it is imperative to comprehend the characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution of aerosols. Numerous research endeavors have been undertaken to monitor aerosols, predominantly through the retrieval of aerosol optical depth (AOD) via satellite-based observations. Nonetheless, this approach primarily relies on a look-up table-based inversion algorithm, characterized by computationally intensive operations and associated uncertainties. In this study, a novel high-resolution AOD direct retrieval algorithm, leveraging machine learning, was developed using top-of-atmosphere reflectance data derived from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager-II (GOCI-II), in conjunction with their differences from the past 30-day minimum reflectance, and meteorological variables from numerical models. The Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) technique was harnessed, and the resultant estimates underwent rigorous validation encompassing random, temporal, and spatial N-fold cross-validation (CV) using ground-based observation data from Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) AOD. The three CV results consistently demonstrated robust performance, yielding R²=0.70-0.80, RMSE=0.08-0.09, and within the expected error (EE) of 75.2-85.1%. The Shapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP) analysis confirmed the substantial influence of reflectance-related variables on AOD estimation. A comprehensive examination of the spatiotemporal distribution of AOD in Seoul and Ulsan revealed that the developed LGBM model yielded results that are in close concordance with AERONET AOD over time, thereby confirming its suitability for AOD retrieval at high spatiotemporal resolution (i.e., hourly, 250 m). Furthermore, upon comparing data coverage, it was ascertained that the LGBM model enhanced data retrieval frequency by approximately 8.8% in comparison to the GOCI-II L2 AOD products, ameliorating issues associated with excessive masking over very illuminated surfaces that are often encountered in physics-based AOD retrieval processes.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.393-407
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• 2012

This study focuses on the correction of topographic effects caused by a combination of solar elevation and azimuth, and topographic relief in single optical remote sensing imagery, and by a combination of changes in position of the sun and topographic relief in comparative analysis of multi-temporal imageries. For the Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, where Mt. Halla and various cinder cones are located, a Landsat 7 ETM+ imagery and ASTER GDEM data were used to normalize the topographic effects on the imagery, using two topographic normalization methods: cosine correction assuming a Lambertian condition and assuming a non-Lambertian c-correction, with kernel sizes of $3{\times}3$, $5{\times}5$, $7{\times}7$, and $9{\times}9$ pixels. The effects of each correction method and kernel size were then evaluated. The c-correction with a kernel size of $7{\times}7$ produced the best result in the case of a land area with various land-cover types. For a land-cover type of forest extracted from an unsupervised classification result using the ISODATA method, the c-correction with a kernel size of $9{\times}9$ produced the best result, and this topographic normalization for a single land cover type yielded better compensation for topographic effects than in the case of an area with various land-cover types. In applying the relative radiometric normalization to topographically normalized three multi-temporal imageries, more invariant spectral reflectance was obtained for infrared bands and the spectral reflectance patterns were preserved in visible bands, compared with un-normalized imageries. The results show that c-correction considering the remaining reflectance energy from adjacent topography or imperfect atmospheric correction yielded superior normalization results than cosine correction. The normalization results were also improved by increasing the kernel size to compensate for vertical and horizontal errors, and for displacement between satellite imagery and ASTER GDEM.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.353-365
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• 1998

Light absorption coefficient per unit mass of particles, i.e., specific absorption coefficient, is important as one of the main parameters in developing algorithms for ocean color remote sensing. Specific absorption coefficient of chlorophyll ($a^*_{ph}$) and suspended sediment ($a^*_{ss}$) were analyzed with a spectrophotometer using the "wet filter technique" and "Kishino method" for the seawater collected in the Yellow and Mediterranean Sea. An improved data-recovery method for the filter technique was also developed using spectrum slopes. This method recovered the baselines of spectrum that were often altered in the original methods. High $a^*_{ph}({lambda})$ values in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea and low values in the Yellow Sea were observed, ranging 0.01 to 0.12 $m^2$/mg at the chlorophyll maximum absorption wavelength of 440 nm. The empirical relationship between $a^*_{ph}$(440nm) and chlorophyll concentrations () was found to fit a power function ($a^*_{ph}$=0.039 $^{-0.369}$), which was similar to Bricaud et al. (1995). Absorption specific coefficients for suspended sediment ($a^*_{ss}$) did not show any relationship with concentrations of suspended sediment. However, an average value of $a^*_{ss}$ ranging 0.005 - 0.08 $m^2$/g at 440nm, was comparable to the specific absorption coefficient of soil (loess) measured by Ahn (1990). The morepronounced variability of $a^*_{ss}$ than $a^*_{ph}$ was determined from the variable mixing ratio values between particulate organic matter and mineral. It can also be explained by a wide size-distribution range for SS which were determined by their specific gravity, bottom state, depth and agitation of water mass by wind in the sea surface.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.531-542
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• 2021

Open-pit mines require constant monitoring as they can cause surface changes and environmental disturbances. In open-pit mines, there is little vegetation at the mining site and can be monitored using InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) coherence imageries. In this study, activities occurring in mine were analyzed by applying the recently developed InSAR coherence-based NDAI (Normalized Difference Activity Index). The March 5 Youth Mine is a North Korean mine whose development has been expanded since 2008. NDAI analysis was performed with InSAR coherence imageries obtained using Sentinel-1 SAR images taken at 12-day intervals in the March 5 Youth Mine. First, the area where the elevation decreased by about 75.24 m and increased by about 9.85 m over the 14 years from 2000 was defined as the mining site and the tailings piles. Then, the NDAI images were used for time series analysis at various time intervals. Over the entire period (2017-2019), average mining activity was relatively active at the center of the mining area. In order to find out more detailed changes in the surface activity of the mine, the time interval was reduced and the activity was observed over a 1-year period. In 2017, we analyzed changes in mining operations before and after artificial earthquakes based on seismic data and NDAI images. After the large-scale blasting that occurred on 30 April 2017, activity was detected west of the mining area. It is estimated that the size of the mining area was enlarged by two blasts on 30 September 2017. The time-averaged NDAI images used to perform detailed time-series analysis were generated over a period of 1 year and 4 months, and then composited into RGB images. Annual analysis of activity confirmed an active region in the northeast of the mining area in 2018 and found the characteristic activity of the expansion of tailings piles in 2019. Time series analysis using NDAI was able to detect random surface changes in open-pit mines that are difficult to identify with optical images. Especially in areas where in situ data is not available, remote sensing can effectively perform mining activity analysis.

• Journal of Cadastre & Land InformatiX
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 2016

The acquisition of the forest resource information has depended on a partial sampling method or aerial photographs which demand a lot of effort and time because of the vast areas and the difficult approach. For the acquisition of the forest resource information, there have been the optical remote-sensing and the multi-spectrum image to offer only horizontal distributions of trees, but a new technological approach, such as Airborne LiDAR, is more necessary to acquire directly three dimensional information related to the forest terrains and trees' features. This paper proposes an algorithm for the forest information extraction such as trees' individual numbers and the heights of trees by using LiDAR data. Especially, this proposed algorithm adopts a region growing method for the extraction of the vegetation-point and extracts the forest information using morphological features of trees.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.137-147
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• 2012

Recently, floating green algae (FGA) in open oceans and coastal waters have been reported over wide area, yet accurate detection of these using traditional ground based measurement and chemical analysis in the laboratory has been difficult or even impossible due to the lack of spatial resolution, coverage, and revisit frequency. In contrast, spectral reflectance measurement makes it possible to quickly assess the chlorophyll content in green algae. Our objectives are to investigate the spectral reflectance of the FGA observed in the Yellow Sea and to develop a new index to detect FGA from satellite imagery, namely floating green algae index (FGAI), which uses relatively simple reflectance ratio technique. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) satellite images at 500m spatial resolution were utilized to produce FGAI which is defined as the ratio between reflectance at 860nm and 660nm bands. Both FGAI results yielded reasonable green algae detection at the regional scale distribution. Especially houly GOCI observations can present more detaield information of FGAI than low-orbit satellite.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.109-127
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• 2011

Atmospheric aerosols, small particles in the atmosphere, are one of the important parameters in climate change and human health. Additionally, accurate estimates of aerosol species are increasingly important in environmental impact assessment studies. Recent advances in global satellite remote sensing provide powerful tool for air quality monitoring. This study explores the potential usage of satellite derived data such as atmospheric aerosols for air quality monitoring as well as climate change study. The objectives of this study is to understand the general features of the global distribution of type dependent aerosols. A detailed spatio-temporal variability of the each different satellite dataset shows the variation of the global zonal average and specific geographical regions where the strong emission sources are located. Especially, significantly large aerosol amounts are observed in Asia and Africa because of the desert dust storm, anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.253-267
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• 2011

This study summarizes some important results from the studies on clouds and aerosols, and their effects on climate in the northeast Asia that were made mainly by Korean scientists and some other scientists from around the world. Clouds and aerosols are recognized as one of the most important factors that contributes to uncertainties in climate predictions and therefore become the subject of active research in the western developed countries in recent years. However, the researches on clouds and aerosols are very weakly done in Korea except ground based measurements of aerosol physical, chemical and optical properties. These measurements indicate that aerosol loadings in the northeast Asia are generally much higher than other parts of the world. On the other hand, researches on clouds are few in Korea. Satellite and ground remote sensing, numerical modeling and aircraft in-situ measurements of clouds are highly needed for better assessment of the role of clouds on climate in the northeast Asia.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.2_1
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• pp.237-248
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• 2018

The vertical distribution of hydrometeor before precipitation near the cloud base has been analyzed using a scanning lidar, rawinsonde data, and Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS). This study mostly focuses on 13 Desember 2016 only. The typical synoptic pattern of lake-effect snowstorm induced easterly in the Yeongdong region. Clouds generated due to high temperature difference between 850 hPa and sea surface (SST) penentrated in the Yeongdong region along with northerly and northeasterly, which eventually resulted precipitation. The cloud base height before the precipitation changed from 750 m to 1,280 m, which was in agreement with that from ceilometer at Sokcho. However, ceilometer tended to detect the cloud base 50 m ~ 100 m below strong signal of lidar backscattering coefficient. As a result, the depolarization ratio increased vertically while the backscattering coefficient decreased about 1,010 m~1,200 m above the ground. Lidar signal might be interpreted to be attenuated with the penetration depth of the cloud layer with of nonspherical hydrometeor (snow, ice cloud). An increase in backscattering signal and a decrease in depolarization ratio occured in the layer of 800 to 1,010 m, probably being associated with an increase in non-spherical particles. There seemed to be a shallow liquid layer with a low depolarization ratio (<0.1) in the layer of 850~900 m. As the altitude increases in the 680 m~850 m, the backscattering coefficient and depolarization ratio increase at the same time. In this range of height, the maximum value (0.6) is displayed. Such a result can be inferred that the nonspherical hydrometeor are distributed by a low density. At this time, the depolarization ratio and the backscattering coefficient did not increase under observed melting layer of 680 m. The lidar has a disadvantage that it is difficult for its beam to penetrate deep into clouds due to attenuation problem. However it is promising to distinguish hydrometeor morphology by utilizing the depolarization ratio and the backscattering coefficient, since its vertical high resolution (2.5 m) enable us to analyze detailed cloud microphysics. It would contribute to understanding cloud microphysics of cold clouds and snowfall when remote sensings including lidar, radar, and in-situ measurements could be timely utilized altogether.