• Atmosphere
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.357-367
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• 2018

In this study, the temperature bias of aircraft observation was estimated through comparison with sonde observation prior to developing the temperature bias correction method at the Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems (KIAPS). First, we tried to compare aircraft temperature with collocated sonde observations at 0000 UTC on June 22, 2012. However, it was difficult to estimate the temperature bias due to the lack of samples and the uncertainty of the sonde position at high altitudes. Second, we attempted a background innovation comparison for sonde and aircraft using KIAPS Package for Observation Processing (KPOP). The one month averaged background innovation shows the aircraft temperature have a warm bias against sonde for all levels. In particular, there is a globally distinct warm bias about 0.4 K between 200 hPa and 300 hPa corresponding to flight level. Spatially, most of the areas showed the warm bias except for below 300 hPa in some part of China at 0000 and 1200 UTC and below 850 hPa in Australia at 0000 UTC. In general, the temperature bias was larger at 1200 UTC than 0000 UTC. Based on the estimated temperature bias, we have applied the static bias correction method to the aircraft temperature observation. As a result, the warm bias of the aircraft temperature has decreased at most levels, but a slight cold bias has occurred in some areas.

• Atmosphere
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2018

In order to monitor greenhouse gases including $CO_2$, various types of surface-, aircraft-, and satellite-based measurement projects have been conducted. These data help understand the variations of greenhouse gases and are used in atmospheric inverse modeling systems to simulate surface fluxes for greenhouse gases. CarbonTracker is a system for estimating surface $CO_2$ flux, using an atmospheric inverse modeling method, based on only surface observation data. Because of the insufficient surface observation data available for accurate estimation of the surface $CO_2$ flux, additional observations would be required. In this study, a system that assimilates aircraft $CO_2$ measurement data in CarbonTracker (CT2013B) is developed, and the estimated results from this data assimilation system are evaluated. The aircraft $CO_2$ measurement data used are obtained from the Comprehensive Observation Network for Trace gases by the Airliner (CONTRAIL) project. The developed system includes the preprocessor of the raw observation data, the observation operator, and the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation process. After preprocessing the raw data, the modeled value corresponding spatially and temporally to each observation is calculated using the observation operator. These modeled values and observations are then averaged in space and time, and used in the EnKF data assimilation process. The modeled values are much closer to the observations and show smaller biases and root-mean-square errors, after the assimilation of the aircraft $CO_2$ measurement data. This system could also be used to assimilate other aircraft $CO_2$ measurement data in CarbonTracker.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.803-813
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• 2022

In this study, we improved the water-based condensation particle counter in Atmospheric Research Aircraft NARA and investigated the condensation particle number concentration over the Korean peninsula. Pump and set point information were changed to improve the instrument used by aircraft for observation. Ground-based observational result showed that the error between two instruments, which are water-based condensation particle counter and butanol-based condensation particle counter, was 4.7%. Aerial observational result revealed that the number concentration before improvement indicate large variation with unstable condition, whereas the number concentration after improvement indicate a reasonable variation. After improvement, the number concentration was 706±499 particle/cm³ in the West Sea and 257±80 particle/cm³ in Gangwon-do, and these are similar to the concentration range reported in previous studies. Notably, this is the first attempt to use aerial observation with water-based condensation particle counter to investigate condensation particle number concentration.

• Atmosphere
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.323-340
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• 2022

We analyzed the high-resolution wind data of Aircraft-Based Observation from the Mode-Selective Enhanced Surveillance (Mode-S EHS) data in Korea. For assessment of its quality, the Mode-S wind data was compared with the ECMWF ReAnalysis 5 (ERA5) reanalysis and Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR) data for more than 3-months from 7 May 2021 to 24 August 2021 near Incheon International Airport, Korea. Considering that the AMDAR reports are not provided by all commercial aircraft, total number of the Mode-S derived wind data with a second sampling rate was about twice larger than that of available AMDAR wind data. After the quality control procedures by removing erroneous samples, it was found that the root mean square errors (RMSEs) of the Mode-S retrieved winds are similar to that from the AMDAR winds. In particular, between 550 and 650 hPa levels, RMSE of the Mode-S (AMDAR) zonal wind against ERA5 data was about 2.3 m s^-1 (1.9 m s^-1), and those increased to 3.3 m s^-1 (2.4 m s^-1) in 200~500 hPa levels. A similar trend was found in the meridional wind, but a distinct positive mean bias of 2.16 m s^-1 was observed between 875 and 1,000 hPa levels. Winds retrieved from the Mode-S also showed a good agreement directly with AMDAR data. As the Mode-S provides a large amount of data with a reliable quality, it can be useful for both data assimilation in the numerical weather prediction model and situational awareness of wind and turbulence for aviation safety in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.30 no.12
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• pp.1027-1039
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the optimal meteorological conditions for cloud seeding using aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. The weather conditions were analyzed using various data sources such as a weather chart, upper air observation, aircraft observation, and a numerical model for cloud seeding experiments conducted from 2018 to 2019 by the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Korea Meteorological Administration. Cloud seeding experiments were performed in the seasons of autumn (37.0%) and winter (40.7%) in the West Sea and Gangwon-do. Silver iodide (70.4%) and calcium chloride (29.6%) were used as cloud seeding materials for the experiments. The cloud seeding experiments used silver iodide in cold clouds. Aircraft observation revealed relatively low temperatures, low liquid water content, and strong wind speeds in clouds with a weak updraft. In warm clouds, the cloud seeding experiments used calcium chloride. Observations included relatively high temperatures, high liquid water content, and weak wind speeds in clouds with a weak updraft. Based upon these results, we determined the comprehensive meteorological conditions for cloud seeding experiments using aircraft over the Korean Peninsula. The understanding of optimal weather conditions for cloud seeding gained from this study provide information critical for performing successful cloud seeding and rain enhancement.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.55-62
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• 2009

The Prime objectives of this study are to identify and analyze possible solutions and select a solution for the specification and operation plan of the meteorological purpose aircraft in Korea. Infrastructure like meteorological purpose aircraft and aircraft operating systems should be set up and their efficient plan must be established to improve meteorological technic in Korea. As a result of the study, we have found that the turboprop engine powered aircraft is the most suitable to initial model for the meteorological purpose aircraft. It was found that the indirect operation method might be the best solution, also. The results of this study may be useful to make decision for selecting specification and operation of the meteorological purpose aircraft.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.393-403
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• 2022

Various studies suggest that the initial operating form of UAM, which is being presented as a solution to the urban traffic problem, will be similar to VTOL aircraft among current aircraft. In a form similar to determining the direction of the runway where fixed-wing aircraft take off and land, the vertiport where take-off and landing of VTOL aircraft takes place determines the flight direction of departure and arrival in consideration of the direction of the wind. Unlike areas where airports are generally built, in the case of downtown areas, it is expected that the characteristics of wind may continuously change depending on the environment of changing terrain or obstacles such as the construction of new buildings. In this study, long-term actual observation data for reviewing the take-off and landing directions at the city center where the location of the vertiport is expected are compared using a wind speed map, and the characteristics of the ground wind and the possibility of change in the direction of the predominant wind depending on the observation period and observation location confirmed.

• Atmosphere
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-39
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• 2019

The conventional observations of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) are compared in the numerical weather forecast system at the Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems (KIAPS). The weather forecasting system used in this study is consists of Korea Integrated Model (KIM) as a global numerical weather prediction model, three-dimensional variational method as a data assimilation system, and KIAPS Package for Observation Processing (KPOP) as an observation pre-processing system. As a result, the forecast performance of NCEP observation was better while the number of observation is similar to the KMA observation. In addition, the sensitivity of forecast performance was investigated for each SONDE, SURFACE and AIRCRAFT observations. The differences in AIRCRAFT observation were not sensitive to forecast, but the use of NCEP SONDE and SURFACE observations have shown better forecast performance. It is found that the NCEP observations have more wind observations of the SONDE in the upper atmosphere and more surface pressure observations of the SURFACE in the ocean. The results suggest that evenly distributed observations can lead to improved forecast performance.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.319-333
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• 2020

Aircraft observations constitute one of the major sources of temperature observations which provide three-dimensional information. But it is well known that the aircraft temperature data have warm bias against sonde observation data, and therefore, the correction of aircraft temperature bias is important to improve the model performance. In this study, the algorithm of the bias correction modified from operational KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) global model is adopted in the preprocessing of aircraft observations, and the effect of the bias correction of aircraft temperature is investigated by conducting the two experiments. The assimilation with the bias correction showed better consistency in the analysis-forecast cycle in terms of the differences between observations (radiosonde and GPSRO (Global Positioning System Radio Occultation)) and 6h forecast. This resulted in an improved forecasting skill level of the mid-level temperature and geopotential height in terms of the root-mean-square error. It was noted that the benefits of the correction of aircraft temperature bias was the upper-level temperature in the midlatitudes, and this affected various parameters (winds, geopotential height) via the model dynamics.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-46
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• 2020

The aircraft observation campaign was performed to investigate thermodynamic conditions of snowfall cloud over the East Sea of Korean peninsula from 2 February to 16 March 2018. During this period, four snowfall events occurred in the Yeongdong region and three cases were analyzed using dropsonde data. Snowfall cases were associated with the passage of southern low-pressure (maritime warm air mass) and expansion of northern high-pressure (continental polar air mass). Case 1 and Case 2a were related to low-pressure systems, and Case 2b and Case 3 were connected with high-pressure systems, respectively. And their thermodynamic properties and horizontal distribution of snowfall cloud were differed according to the influence of the synoptic condition. In Case 1 and Case 2a, atmospheric layers between sea surface and 350 hPa contained moisture more than 15 mm of TPW with multiple inversion layers detected by dropsonde data, while the vertical atmosphere of Case 2b and Case 3 were dry as TPW 5 mm or less with a single inversion inversion layer around 750~850 hPa. However, the vertical distributions of equivalent potential temperature (θ_e) were similar as moist-adiabatically neutral condition regardless of the case. But, their values below 900 hPa were about 10 K higher in Case 1 and Case 2a (285~290 K) than in Case 2b and Case 3 (275~280 K). The difference in these values is related to the characteristics of the incoming air mass and the location of the snowfall cloud.