• Atmosphere
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2018

Characteristics of precipitation response to enhanced aerosols have been investigated during the severe haze events observed in Korea for 2011 to 2016. All 6-years haze events are classified into long-range transported haze (LH: 31%), urban haze (UH: 28%), and yellow sand (YS: 18%) in order. Long-range transported one is mainly discussed in this study. Interestingly, both LH (68%) and YS (87%) appear to be more frequently accompanied with precipitation than UH (48%). We also found out the different timing of precipitation for LH and YS, respectively. The variations of precipitation frequency for the LH event tend to coincide with aerosol variations specifically in terms of temporal covariation, which is in contrast with YS. Increased aerosol loadings following precipitation for the YS event seems to be primarily controlled by large scale synoptic forcing. Meanwhile, aerosols for the LH event may be closely associated with precipitation longevity through changes in cloud microphysics such that enhanced aerosols can increase smaller cloud droplets and further extend light precipitation at weaker rate. Notably, precipitation persisted longer than operational weather forecast not considering detailed aerosol-cloud interactions, but the timescale was limited within a day. This result demonstrates active interactions between aerosols and meteorology such as probable modifications of cloud microphysics and precipitation, synoptic-induced dust transport, and precipitation-scavenging in Korea. Understanding of aerosol potential effect on precipitation will contribute to improving the performance of numerical weather model especially in terms of precipitation timing and location.

• Atmosphere
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.283-291
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• 2013

This study investigates the changes in the atmosphere-ocean interactions over the South China Sea (SCS) by analyzing their variables in the period of 1979~2011 during the boreal summer (June-July-August). It is found that a simultaneous correlation coefficient between sea surface temperature (SST) and precipitation over SCS during summer is significantly changed before and after the late-1990s. That is, the variation of precipitation over SCS is negatively (positively) correlated with the SST variations before (after) the late-1990s. Our further correlation analysis indicates that the atmospheric forcing of the SST is dominant before the late-1990s accompanying with wind-evaporation feedback and cloud-radiation feedback. After the late-1990s, in contrast, the SST forcing of the atmosphere through the latent heat flux from the ocean to the atmosphere is dominant. It is found that the change in the relationship of atmosphere-ocean interactions over SCS are associated with the changes in the relationship with Northeast Asian summer precipitation. In particular, a simultaneous correlation coefficient between the precipitation over SCS and Northeast Asia becomes stronger during after the late-1990s than before the late-1990s. We argue that the increase of the SST forcing of the atmosphere over SCS may lead a direct relationship of precipitation variations between SCS and Northeast Asia after the late-1990s.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.499-509
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• 2017

Possible links among cosmic ray, cloud, and climate have scientific uncertainties. The reputed topics have been highly controversial during several decades. A link between the atmospheric ionization by galactic cosmic rays (GCR), which is modulated by solar activities, and global cloud cover was firstly proposed in 1997. Some researchers suggested that the GCR can stimulate the formation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) in the atmosphere, and then the higher CCN concentrations may lead to an increase of cloud cover, resulting in a cooling of the Earth's climate, and vise versa. The CLOUD (Cosmic leaving outdoor droplets) experiment was designed to study the effect of GCR on the formation of atmospheric aerosols and clouds under precisely controlled laboratory conditions. A state-of-the-art chamber experiment has greatly advanced our scientific understanding of the aerosol formation in early stage and its nucleation processes if the GCR effect is considered or not. Many studies on the climate-GCR (or space weather) connection including the CLOUD experiment have been carried out during the several decades. Although it may not be easy to clarify the physical connection, the recent scientific approaches such as the laboratory experiments or modeling studies give some implications that the research definitively contributed to reduce the scientific uncertainties of natural and anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing as well as to better understand the formation processes of fine particulate matters as an important parameter of air quality forecast.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-74
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• 2009

In order to clarify the vertical ozone distribution in planetary boundary layer of coastal area with complex terrain, an observation campaign was carried out around Gwangyang Bay with dense pollutant emission sources during two days from June, 4 2007. For this observation are Radiosonde, SODAR(SOnic Detection And Ranging) and Tethered ozone sonde were employed. The surface meteorological and photochemical observation data provided by AWS (Automatic Weather System) and AQMS (Air Quality Monitoring System) were also applied for analysis. Synoptic condition is strongly associated with lower level ozone distribution in complex terrain coastal area. Since mesoscale circulation induced by difference of characteristics of land and sea and orographic forcing is predominant under calm synoptic condition, vertical distribution of ozone is complicate and vertical ozone concentration greatly fluctuated. However in second day when synoptic influence become strong, ozone concentration in lower levels is vertically uniform regardless of observation level. This results in vertical observation indicates that vertical ozone distribution is often determined by synoptic condition and also affects surface ozone concentration.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2013

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and HCFCs (Hydrochlorofluorocarbons) that are chemically stable were proven to be a greenhouse gases that can destroy ozone layer. On the other hand, HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons) was developed as an alternative refrigerant for them, but HFCs still have a relatively higher radiative forcing, resulting in a large Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1,300. Current regulations prohibit production and use of these chemicals. In addition, obligatory removal of existing material is in progress. Methods for the decomposition of these material can be listed as thermal cracking, catalytic decomposition and plasma process. This study reports the development of low cost and high efficiency plasma scrubber. Stability of steam plasma generation and effect of plasma parameters such as frequency of power supply and reactor geometry have been investigated in the course of the development. Method for effective removal of by-product also has been investigated. In this study, elongated rotating arc was proven to be efficient in decomposition of HFCs above 99% and to be able to generate stable steam plasma with steam contents of about 20%.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.703-714
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• 2010

In this study, we analyzed the impact of orographic and thermal forcing on the atmospheric flow field over the urban metropolitan areas on urban artificial buildings and future development plan. Several numerical experiments have been undertaken in order to clarify the impacts of the future development plan on urban area by analyzing practical urban ground conditions, we revealed that there were large differences in the meteorological differences in each case. The prognostic meteorological fields over complex areas of Seoul, Korea are generated by the PSU/NCAR mesoscale model(MM5). we carried out a comparative examination on the meteorological fields of topography and land-use that had building information and future development plan. A higher wind speed at daytimes tends to be forecasted when using new topography and land use data that have a high resolution with an appropriate limitation to the mixing height and the nocturnal boundary layer(NCB). During nighttime periods, since radiation cooling development is stronger after development plan, the decreased wind speed is often generated.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 1994

An intermediate atmosphere-ocean coupled model appropnate for the study of El Nino has been developed. The model is not only economic to use but also contains several most important physical processes. The geometrical effects which were not confided in the previous intermediate model study of Ahn (1990), are included in the model for more realistic simulation of the event. The results show that the individual models respond appropriately to the given boundary conditions. At the same time, in the coupled model experiment, ENSO-like oceanic and atmospheric anomalies are also well simulated under an external triggering similar to the initiation forcing of ENSO. It is expected that this type of model can be effectively used for the. study and simulation of El Nido. More improvement of modeling may be Possible after inclusion of subsequent processes such as inclusion of ocean mixed layer dynamics.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.603-613
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• 2004

Extensive forest fires occurred across the border in Russia. particularly east of Lake Baikal between the Amur and Lena rivers in May 2003. These forest fires released large amounts of particulates and gases into the atmosphere. resulting in adverse effects on regional air quality and the global radiation budget. Smoke pollution from the Russian fires near Lake Baikal was sometimes transported to Korea through Mongolia and eastern China. In this study ground based radiation (visible and UV-B) data measured during May 2003 at Seoul and Kwangju were analyzed to estimate smoke aerosol impacts on solar radiation. Surface criteria air pollutants ($PM_{10}$, CO, $O_3$) data were also obtained from National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) during smoke aerosol event period (19 May~24 May 2003). Large Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) 1.0~3.0 was observed during this period due to the influence of the long range transport of smoke aerosol plume from the Russian fires, resulting in short-wavelength direct aerosol radiative forcing of -90~ -200W/$m^2$. These smoke aerosol plume caused decrease in surface UV-B radiation up to 80% and increase in PM_(10) concentration up to 200${\mu}g/m^3$ exceeding the 24 hour ambient air quality standard.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.304-315
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• 2009

Numerical simulations were carried out to understand the effect of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) spatial distribution on regional circulation. A three-dimensional non-hydrostatic atmospheric model RAMS, version 6.0, was applied to examine the impact of SST forcing on regional circulation. New Generation Sea Surface Temperature (NGSST) data were implemented to RAMS to compare the results of modeling with default SST data. Several numerical experiments have been undertaken to evaluate the effect of SST for initialization. First was the case with NGSST data (Case NG), second was the case with RAMS monthly data (Case RM) and third was the case with seasonally averaged RAMS monthly data (Case RS). Case NG showed accurate spatial distributions of SST but, the results of RM and RS were $3{\sim}4^{\circ}C$ lower than buoy observation data. By analyzing practical sea surface conditions, large difference in horizontal temperature and wind field for each run were revealed. Case RM and Case RS showed similar horizontal and vertical distributions of temperature and wind field but, Case NG estimated the intensity of sea breeze weakly and land breeze strongly. These differences were due to the difference of the temperature gradient caused by different spatial distributions of SST. Diurnal variations of temperature and wind speed for Case NG indicated great agreement with the observation data and statistics such as root mean squared error, index of agreement, regression were also better than Case RM and Case RS.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.298-301
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• 2007

Vertical distribution and optical properties of atmospheric aerosols above the Korean peninsula are quite important to estimate effects of aerosol on atmospheric environment and regional radiative forcing. For the first time in Korea, vertical microphysical properties of atmospheric aerosol obtained by inversion algorithm were analyzed based on optical data of multi-wavelength Raman lidar system developed by the Advanced Environmental Monitoring Research Center (ADEMRC), Gwangju Institute Science and Technology (GIST). Data collected on 14 June 2004 at Gwangju ($35.10^{\circ}N$, $126.53^{\circ}E$) and 27 May 2005 at Anmyeon island ($36.32^{\circ}N$, $126.19^{\circ}E$) were used as raw optical data for inversion algorithm. Siberian forest fire smoke and local originated haze were observed above and within the height of PBL, respectively on 14 June 2004 according to NOAA/Hysplit backstrajectory analysis. The inversion of lidar optical data resulted in particle effective radii around 0.32 ${\mu}m$, single scattering albedo between 0.97 at 532 nm in PBL and effective radii of 0.27 ${\mu}m$ and single scattering albedo of 0.92 above PBL. In the case on 27 May 2005, biomass burning from east China was a main source of aerosol plume. The inversion results of the data on 27 May 2005 were found to be particle effective radii between 0.24 ${\mu}m$, single scattering albedo around 0.91 at 532 nm. Additionally, the inversion values were well matched with those of Sun/sky radiometer in measurement period.