• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.415-422
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• 2001

Studies of atmospheric general circulation in the troposphere and stratosphere are very important to understand the influence of human activities on the global climate and its change. Recently, the existence of an annual cycle in the circulation has been reported by a number of studies. In this study, the residual mean meridional circulation is calculated by the TEM momentum and continuity equations for the period from December 1985 to November 1995 (10 years), and the long-term variations of the circulation and mass fluxes across the 100hPa surface are examined. The multiple regression statistical model is used to obtain quantitatively the long-term variations. This study is focused especially on mean meridional circulation in the troposphere and stratosphere associated with ENSO (El Ni${\tilde{n}}$o-Southern Oscillation) which is known as a cause of the unusual weather, global climate, and its change. The results show that the global scale troposphere-stratosphere mean meridional circulation is intensified during El Ni${\tilde{n}}$o event and QBO (quasi-biennal oscillation) easterly phase and weakened during La Ni${\tilde{n}}$o event and QBO westerly phase. The signal of Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption in June 1991 is obtained. Due to the volcanic eruption the global scale troposphere-stratosphere mean meridional circulation is abruptly intensified.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.543-557
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• 2015

The present study examines an interaction between the eddy and mean meridional circulation (MMC) comparing the results in three reanalysis data sets including ERA-Interim, NCEP2, and JRA-55 during the boreal winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It is noteworthy that the JRA-55 tends to produce stronger MMC compared to those of others, which is mainly due to the weak eddy flux. ERA-Interim represents the ensemble averages of MMC. The MMC-eddy interaction equation was adopted to investigate the scale interaction of the eddy momentum flux (EMF), eddy heat flux (EHF), and diabatic heating (DHT) with MMC. The EMF (EHF) shows a significant correlation coefficient with streamfunction under (above) 200 hPa-level. The perturbation (time mean) part of each eddy is dominant compared to another part in the EMF (EHF). The DHT is strongly interacted with streamfunction in the region between the equator and extra-tropical latitude over whole vertical column. Thus, the dominant term in each significant region modulates interannual variability of MMC. The inverse (proportional) relationship between MMC and pressure (meridional) derivative of the momentum (heat) divergence contributions is well represented in the three reanalysis data sets. The region modulated interannual variability of MMC by both EMF and DHT (EHF) is similar in ERA-Interim and JRA-55 (ERA-Interim and NCEP2). JRA-55 shows a lack of significant region of EHF due to the high resolution, compared to other data sets.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.331-344
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• 2012

The changes in the Hadley circulation during the second half of the 20th century were examined using observations and the 20C3M (Twentieth Century Climate in Coupled Models) simulations by the 21 IPCC AR4 models. Multi-model ensemble (MME) mean shows that the mean features of the Hadley circulation, such as the intensity, magnitude, and the seasonal variations, are very realistically reproduced, compared to the ERA40 reanalysis. But the long-term trends of the Hadley circulation in 20C3M MME are quite different to those of observations. The observed intensity of the Hadley cell is persistently enhanced, particularly during boreal winter. In comparison, the meridional overturning circulations reproduced in the MME mean remains invariant in time, and even weakened in boreal summer. This discrepancy between the ERA40 and 20C3M MME is consistently shown in the overall structure of the Hadley circulations, such as mass streamfunction, the velocity potential, the vertical shear of meridional wind, and the vertical velocity in the tropical region. This results indicate that the current climate models are skill-less to capture the long-term trend of Hadley circulation yet, and should be improved in simulation of the large-scale features to enhance the confidence level of future climate change projection.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.665-672
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• 2016

In this study, we examine future changes in the Hadley cell (HC) strength using CMIP5 climate change simulations. The current study is an extension of a previous study by Seo et al. that used all 30 available models. Here, we select 18-23 well-performing models based on their significant internal sensitivity of the interannual HC strength variation to the latitudinal temperature gradient variation. The model projections along with simple scaling analysis show that the inter-model variability in the HC strength change is a result of the inter-model spread in the meridional temperature gradient across the subtropics for both DJF and JJA, not by the tropopause height or gross static stability change. The HC strength is expected to weaken significantly during DJF, while little change is expected in the JJA HC strength. Compared to the calculations with all model members, selected model statistics increase the linear correlation between the changes in HC strength and meridional temperature gradient by 13~23%, confirming the robust sensitivity of the HC strength to the meridional temperature gradient. Two scaling equations for the selected models predict changes in HC strength better than all-member predictions. In particular, the prediction improvement in DJF is as high as 30%. The simple scaling relations successfully predict both the ensemble-mean changes and model-to-model variations in the HC strength for both seasons.

• Atmosphere
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.377-387
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• 2013

Projections of changes in the low latitude atmospheric circulation under global warming are investigated using the results of the CMIP5 ensemble mean. For this purpose, 30-yr periods for the present day (1971~2000) and the end of the $21^{st}$ century (2071~2100) according to the RCP emission scenarios are compared. The wintertime subtropical jet is projected to strengthen on the upper side of the jet due to increase in meridional temperature gradient induced by warming in the tropical upper-troposphere and cooling in the stratosphere except for the RCP2.6. It is also found that a strengthening of the upper side of the wintertime subtropical jet in the RCP2.6 due to tropical upper-tropospheric warmings. Model-based projection shows a weakening of the mean intensity of the Hadley cell, an upward shift of cell, and poleward shift of the Hadley circulation for the winter cell in both hemispheres. A weakening of the Walker circulation, which is one of the most robust atmospheric responses to global warming, is also projected. These results are consistent with findings in the previous studies based on CMIP3 data sets. A weakening of the Walker circulation is accompanied with decrease (increase) in precipitation over the Indo-Pacific warm pool region (the equatorial central and east Pacific). In addition, model simulation shows a decrease in precipitation over subtropical regions where the descending branch of the winter Hadley cell in both hemispheres is strengthened.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.225-233
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• 2001

In order to find out the role of sea-ice in the climate system, a thermodynamic sea-ice model has been developed and included in the ocean general circulation model, MOM2, for the construction of OGCM/sea-ice coupled model in this study. By using the model developed, seasonal mean sea-ice distribution has been simulated, first of all. The role of sea-ice in the sense of large scale ocean circulation has been studied by comparing the results of OGCM/sea-ice coupled model experiment with OGCM-standalone experiment. At the same time, the coupled model has been verified by comparing and analysing the results of the other models and observation. The coupled model has reasonably simulated the overall seasonal distribution of sea-ice in the high latitudes of both hemispheres. In the comparative analysis between the OGCM/sea-ice coupled and OGCM-standalone experiments, the sea-ice is playing important roles on maintaining not only the distributions of temperature and salinity in high latitudes of both hemispheres, but also the meridional ocean circulation associated with south ocean cell, southern hemisphere cell and zonal ocean circulation such as a circum-polar current.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.133-150
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• 2017

This study evaluates CMIP5 model performance on rainy season evolution in the East Asian summer monsoon. Historical (1986~2005) simulation is analyzed using ensemble mean of CMIP5 19 models. Simulated rainfall amount is underestimated than the observed and onset and termination of rainy season are earlier in the simulation. Compared with evolution timing, duration of the rainy season is uncertain with large model spread. This area-averaged analysis results mix relative differences among the models. All model show similarity in the underestimated rainfall, but there are quite large difference in dynamic and thermodynamic processes. The model difference is shown in horizontal distribution analysis. BEST and WORST group is selected based on skill score. BEST shows better performance in northward movement of the rain band, summer monsoon domain. Especially, meridional gradient of equivalent potential temperature and low-level circulation for evolving frontal system is quite well captured in BEST. According to RCP8.5, CMIP5 projects earlier onset, delayed termination and longer duration of the rainy season with increasing rainfall amount at the end of 21st century. BEST and WORST shows similar projection for the rainy season evolution timing, meanwhile there are large discrepancy in thermodynamic structure. BEST and WORST in future projection are different in moisture flux, vertical structure of equivalent potential temperature and the subsequent unstable changes in the conditional instability.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.231-239
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• 2013

To identify seasonal and latitudinal variations of F2 layer during magnetic storm, we examine the change of daily averages of foF2 observed at Kokubunji and Hobart during high (2000~2002) and low (2006~2008) solar activity intervals. It is found that geomagnetic activity has a different effect on the ionospheric F2-layer electron density variation for different seasons and different latitudes. We, thus, investigate how the change of geomagnetic activity affects the ionospheric F2-layer electron density with season and latitude. For this purpose, two magnetic storms occurred in equinox (31 March 2001) and solstice (20 November 2003) seasons are selected. Then we investigate foF2, which are observed at Kokubunji, Townsville, Brisbane, Canberra and Hobart, Dst index, Ap index, and AE index for the two magnetic storm periods. These observatories have similar geomagnetic longitude, but have different latitude. Furthermore, we investigate the relation between the foF2 and the [O]/[$N_2$] ratio and TEC variations during 19-22 November 2003 magnetic storm period. As a result, we find that the latitudinal variations of [O]/[$N_2$] ratio and TEC are closely related with the latitudinal variation of foF2. Therefore, we conclude that the seasonal and latitudinal variations of foF2 during magnetic storm are caused by the seasonal and latitudinal variations of mean meridional circulation of the thermosphere, particularly upwelling and downwelling of neutral atmosphere during magnetic storm.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.675-689
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• 2014

This study applied Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition(EEMD), a new methodology to define the timing of spring onset over the Republic of Korea and to examine its spatio-temporal change. Also this study identified the relationship between spring onet timing and some atmospheric variations, and figured out synoptic factors which affect the timing of spring onset. The averaged spring onset timing for the period of 1974-2011 was 11th, March in Republic of Korea. In general, the spring onset timing was later with higher latitude and altitude regions, and it was later in inland regions than in costal ones. The correlation analysis has been carried out to find out the factors which affect spring onset timing, and global annual mean temperature, Arctic Oscillation(AO), Siberian High had a significant correlation with spring onset timing. The multiple regression analysis was conducted with three indices which were related to spring onset timing, and the model explained 64.7%. As a result of multiple regression analysis, the effect of annual mean temperature was the greatest and that of AO was the second. To find out synoptic factors affecting spring onset timing, the synoptic analysis has been carried out. As a result the intensity of meridional circulation represented as the major factor affect spring onset timing.