• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.443-451
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• 2013

Spring rainfall events were comprehensively analyzed based on the distribution of precipitation amount and the related synoptic weather between 2008~2012. Forty-eight cases are selected among the rain events of the entire country, and each distribution of the 24-hour accumulated precipitation amount is classified into three types: evenly distributed rain(Type 1), more rain in the southern area and south coast region (Type 2), and more rain in the central region (Type 3), respectively. Type 1 constitutes the largest part(35 cases, 72.9%) with mean precipitation amount of 19.4 mm, and the 17 cases of Type 1 are observed in March. Although Type B and C constitutes small parts (11 cases, 22.9% and 2 cases, 4.2%), respectively. The precipitation amount of these types is greater than 34.5 mm and occurred usually in April. The main synoptic weather patterns affecting precipitation distribution are classified into five patterns according to the pathway of low pressures. The most influential pattern is type 4, and this usually occurs in March, April, and May (Low pressures from the north and the ones from the west and south consecutively affect South Korea, 37.5%). The pattern 3(Low pressures from the south affect South Korea, 25%) happens mostly in April, and the average precipitation is usually greater than 30 mm. This value is relatively higher than the values in any other patterns.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.203-217
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• 2018

For this study, WRF numerical modeling was performed, using RDAPS information for input data on typhoons affecting the Korean peninsula to produce wind data of 700hPa. RAM numerical modeling was also used to calculate 3-second gusts as the extreme wind speed. After comparing wind speeds at an altitude of 10 m to evaluate the feasibility of WRF numerical modeling, modeled values were found to be similar with measured ones, reflecting change tendencies well. Therefore, the WRF numerical modeling results were verified. As a result of comparing and analyzing these wind speeds, as calculated through RAM numerical modeling, to evaluate applicability for disaster preparedness, change tendencies were observed to be similar between modeled and measured values. In particular, modeled values were slightly higher than measured ones, indicating applicability for the prevention of possible damage due to gales. Our analysis of 3-second gusts during the study period showed a high distribution of 3-second gusts in the southeast region of the Korean peninsula from 2002-2006. The frequency of 3-second gusts increased in the central north region of Korea as time progressed. Our analysis on the characteristics of 3-second gusts during years characterized by El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ or La Nina showed greater strength during hurricanes that affected the Korean peninsula in El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ years.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2013

Open biomass burning (excluding biofuels) is an important contributor to air pollution in the Asian region. Estimation of emissions from fires, however, has been problematic, primarily because of uncertainty in the size and location of sources and in their temporal and spatial variability. Hence, more comprehensive tools to estimate wildfire emissions and that can characterize their temporal and spatial variability are needed. Furthermore, an emission processing system that can generate speciated, gridded, and temporally allocated emissions is needed to support air-quality modeling studies over Asia. For these reasons, a biomass-burning emissions modeling system based on satellite imagery was developed to better account for the spatial and temporal distributions of emissions. The BlueSky Framework, which was developed by the USDA Forest Service and US EPA, was used to develop the Asian biomass-burning emissions modeling system. The sub-models used for this study were the Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS), CONSUME, and the Emissions Production Model (EPM). Our domain covers not only Asia but also Siberia and part of central Asia to assess the large boreal fires in the region. The MODIS fire products and vegetation map were used in this study. Using the developed modeling system, biomass-burning emissions were estimated during April and July 2008, and the results were compared with previous studies. Our results show good to fair agreement with those of GFEDv3 for most regions, ranging from 9.7 % in East Asia to 52% in Siberia. The SMOKE modeling system was combined with this system to generate three-dimensional model-ready emissions employing the fire-plume rise algorithm. This study suggests a practicable and maintainable methodology for supporting Asian air-quality modeling studies and to help understand the impact of air-pollutant emissions on Asian air quality.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-84
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• 1997

We carried out high-resolution(FWHM=3' .3) HI 21 cm observations of the supernova remnant(SNR) PKS0607+17 and HII region S261 using Arecibo 305-m telescope. The observation was to investigate whether the high-velocity(HV) gas detected in the southern area of PKS0607+17 by Koo & Heiles(1991) is physically associated with the SNR or not. The velocity of the HV gas ranges from +64 km/s to +87 km/s, which is difficult to result from the Galactic rotation. The HV gas could be the gas accelerated by supernova blast wave. However, because the observation of Koo and Heiles(1991) was carried out using Hat Creek radio telescope(FWHM $\simeq$ 36'), the association of the HV gas with the SNR could not be investigated. Using the Arecibo HI 21cm data, we have found that the HV gas appears m the southern part of the SNR and its velocity ranges from +61 km/s to +77 km/s. But the HV gas is scattered m the whole field, not only toward PKS0607+17 but also outside the SNR Accordingly the HV gas is probably not associated with the SNR, but is accidentally aligned along the same line of sight toward the SNR. Instead we have found that HI clouds at low velocities could be possibly associated with the SNR. In Arecibo HI 21cm channel maps the HI gas seems to surround the southern boundary of the SNR at $V_{LSR}$ = +19.6 ~ +40.2 km/s. But because the region of the Arecibo HI 21cm observation is not wide enough to examine the HI gas distribution, we investigated this area using the Berkely low-latitude HI survey data(Weaver & Williams 1974) too. There we found HI gas surrounding the radio continuum boundary of PKS0607+17 at $V_{LSR}$ = +21.6 ~ +258 km/s. It is possible that this HI gas is associated with the SNR, in which case, the velocity of the SNR $V_o$ $\simeq$ +26 km/s, its distance d $\simeq$ 12.5 kpc and its radius R $\simeq$ 145 pc. If we assume that the expansion velocity is ~10 km/s, then the age of the SNR is $\sim4.4\times10^6$ years. PKS0607+17 could be one of the oldest SNRs in the Galaxy. We also studied HI propertities of the HII region S261, which is $\sim1^{\circ}$ away from PKS0607+17. There has been no high-resolution m 21 cm observational study on S261. We discovered HI cloud located at the north-eastern part of S261 at $V_{LSR}$ = +5 km/s ~ +10 km/s, which is possibly associated with the HII region. The central velocity of the HI cloud $V_{LSR}$ = +7.2 km/s and the corresponding distance d = 1.5 kpc. This velocity is comparable to the radio recombination line velocities.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.195-207
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• 2016

Because the high latitude region in the North Pacific is characterized by high primary production in the surface water enriched with nutrients, it is important to understand the variation of surface water productivity and associated nutrient variability in terms of global carbon cycle. Surface water productivity change or its related nutrient utilization rate during the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (NHG; ca. 2.73 Ma) has been reported, but little is known about such circumstances under gradual climate cooling since the NHG. Bulk nitrogen isotope (${\delta}^{15}N_{bulk}$) of sedimentary organic matter has been used for the reconstruction of nutrient utilization rate in the surface water. However, sedimentary organic matter experiences diagenesis incessantly during sinking through the water column and after burial within the sediments. Thus, in this study we examine the degree of nitrate utilization rate during the early Pleistocene (2.4-1.25 Ma) since the NHG, using the diatom-bound nitrogen isotope (${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$), which is known to be little influenced by diagenesis, from Site U1343 in the Bering slope area. ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ values range from ~0.5 to 5.5‰, which is lower than ${\delta}^{15}N_{bulk}$ values, but they vary with larger amplitude. Variation patterns between ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ values and biogenic opal concentration are generally consistent, which indicates that the nitrate utilization rate is closely related to opal productivity change in the surface water. A positive correlation between opal productivity and nitrate utilization rate was observed, which is different from the other high latitude regions in the North Pacific. The main reason for this contrasting relationship is that the primary production in the surface water at Site U1343 is influenced mostly by the degree of sea ice formation. Still, although concerns about diagenetic alteration have been avoided by using ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$, the effects of the preservation state of biogenic opal and the species-dependent isotopic fractionation on ${\delta}^{15}N_{db}$ should be assessed in the future studies.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-60
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to classify the Korean precipitation regions on the basis of the characteristics of extratropical cyclonic precipitation. From now on, extratropical cyclone is called cyclone in short. By using factor analysis and Ward method in cluster analysis, precipitation regions on the basis of the characteristics of cyclonic precipitation are classified The principal data used in this study are daily precipitation records obtained from 60 weather stations of the Korea Meteorological Service during the ten years($1981{\sim}1990$), and weather charts published by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: (1) In the factor analysis using 43 variables which have relation to the extratropical cyclonic precipitations, They are seven factors whose eigenvalues are above 1.0. This explains 86 percent of total amount. The first factor explains the characteristics of precipitation in the middle-west area and its contribution degree has the highest 10.9 percent. (2) According to the cluster analysis method of Ward, extratropical cyclonic precipitation regions are classified seven macro regions(such as Kyungki and North Youngseo, Youngdong and Ullungdo, Hoseo and South Youngseo, Honam and Northwest Chejudo, Southeast Chejudo, North Youngnam, and South Youngnam), 22 meso regions. (3) The characteristics of precipitation regions have relations to the path of cyclone, the direction of air inflow and the strike of mountain ranges. As the conclusion, the Central China Low brings much precipitation in the southern coast and southern area of Korea as moving to the northeastward. The North China Low moves eastward and brings much precipitation in the western area of the Taeback mountain ranges. The probability of extratropical cyclonic precipitation is the lowest in the inland of Yeongnam and the eastern coastal areas which belong to the rain shadow region. Namely, The seasonal and spatial characteristics of precipitation are closely associated with the path of cyclone and the direction of air inflow according to its passage, and the strike of mountain ranges.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.312-323
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• 2003

This writer absolutely agrees with the government that regional disequilibrium is severe enough to consider moving the administrative capital. Pursuing this course solely to establish a balanced development, however, is not a convincing enough reason. The capital city is directly related to not only the social and economic situation but, much more importantly, to the domestic political situation as well. In the mid-1970s, the proposal by the Third Republic to move the capital city temporarily was based completely on security reasons. At e time, the then opposition leader Kim, Dae-jung said that establishing a safe distance from the demilitarized zone(DMZ) reflected a typically military decision. His view was that retaining the capital city close to the DMZ would show more consideration for the will of the people to defend their own country. In fact, independent Pakistan moved its capital city from Karachi to Islamabad, situated dose to Kashmir the subject of hot territorial dispute with India. It is regrettable that no consideration has been given to the urgent political situation in the Korean peninsula, which is presently enveloped in a dense nuclear fog. As a person requires health to pursue his/her dream, a country must have security to implement a balanced territorial development. According to current urban theories, the fate of a country depends on its major cities. A negligently guarded capital city runs the risk of becoming hostage and bringing ruin to the whole country. In this vein, North Koreas undoubted main target of attack in the armed communist reunification of Korea is Seoul. For the preservation of our state, therefore, it is only right that Seoul must be shielded to prevent becoming hostage to North Korea. The location of the US Armed Forces to the north of the capital city is based on the judgment that defense of Seoul is of absolute importance. At the same time, regardless of their different standpoints, South and North Korea agree that division of the Korean people into two separate countries is abnormal. Reunification, which so far has defied all predictions, may be realized earlier than anyone expects. The day of reunification seems to be the best day for the relocation of the capital city. Building a proper capital city would take at least twenty years, and a capital city cannot be dragged from one place to another. On the day of a free and democratic reunification, a national agreement will be reached naturally to find a nationally symbolic city as in Brazil or Australia. Even if security does not pose a problem, the governments way of thinking would not greatly contribute to the balanced development of the country. The Chungcheon region, which is earmarked as the new location of the capital city, has been the greatest beneficiary of its proximity to the capital region. Not being a disadvantaged region, locating the capital city there would not help alleviate regional disparity. If it is absolutely necessary to find a candidate region at present, considering security, balanced regional development and post-reunification scenario of the future, Cheolwon area located in the middle of the Korean peninsula may be a plausible choice. Even if the transfer of capital is delayed in consideration of the present political conflict between the South and the North Koreas, there is a definite shortcut to realizing a balanced regional development. It can be found not in the geographical dispersal of the central government, but in the decentralization of power to the provinces. If the government has surplus money to build a new symbolic capital city, it is only right that it should improve, for instance, the quality of drinking water which now everyone eschews, and to help the regional subway authority whose chronic deficit state resoled in a recent disastrous accident. And it is proper to time the transfer of capital city to coincide with that of the reunification of Korea whenever Providence intends.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.35-56
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• 1995

During the last two decades, Korea has achieved remarkable economic growth. In this process the nation has become urbanized and industrialized. But we have also encountered widening regional disparity, housing shortage of larger cities, transportation congestion, environmental pollution and many other problems. Rapid increasing urbanization and continuous migration toward Seoul since the late 1960s have been one of the major concerns of government. Government has sought ways to moderate the population increase in Seoul. The regulation which include new town development near Seoul and dispersion strategies of higher education and other administration and living facilities outside of Seoul havemade a great expansion of the spatial influence of Seoul city. Seoul metropolitan reaion has evolved as the most powerful center of political and economical spaces. Generally within a metropolitan region, there exists a growing mutual interdependence economically, as well as socially between a central city and its surrounding area. Seoul metropolitan region manifests itself not only as a coherent system of urbanized regions, but also as an integral part of the daily urban system. The surrounding Gyunggi province and Seoul city become closely linked both economically and functionally, constituting true functlonai urban system. This study is primarily undertaken with the purpose of delineation of the sphere of influence of Seoul city in 1990. At the time of 1985, Seoul metropolitan region was delineated according to the result of the study which was performed by Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements. Afterward, the rapid speed of metropolitanization process with dramatic increase in mobility through the provision of wider transportation system across the Capital region have evolved, resulting in the great expansion of the spatial influence of Seoul city. So this study examines the expanded area of Seoul metropolitan regin during the period of 1985-90. In order to delineate Seoul metropolitan region, the indices of urbanization and functional linkage are selected. Variables included in the measurement of the urbanization level are agricultural structure, population characteristics, manufacturing and service industries, and cultural aspects such as newspaper circulation, the ratio of car ownership and piped water supply. Variables included in the measurement of functional linkage are commuting, shopping pattern, centralized service such as medical facilities and trade of agricultural products. The standardization method and factor analysis are employed in making the delineation of Seoul metropolitan region. According to the result of this study, 2 cities, 8 Eups and 46 Myuns are included Seoul metropolitan region in 1990. If we compare this delineated area in 1990 to that of 1985, we can find the distinctive pattern of expanded axes according to the main transportation routes such as Seoul-Suweon, Seoul-Gwangju, Seoul-Incheon. In 199O, all the Gyunggi province, except a few Myuns located at the north and northwest part of Gyunggi province, are included in Seoul metropolitan region. Furthermore, this study attempts to the analysis of regional structure of Seoul metropolitan region according to the functional characteristics of each city and Gun. Variables included in this analysis are the new residential function, manufacturing function, service function, education and infermation function, public facility function and agricultural function. Factor analysis and cluster analysis are employed in making regionalization. Seoul metropolitan reaion is subdivided into four subregions which reflect different functional specialization. The first group is the specialized region of newly formed residential function. The second group is the specialized reaion of manufacturing function. The third group is the specialized region of service function. And the fourth group has little specialized in terms of manufacturing, service, and residential function. But this region has some potentiality of development when Seoul metropolitan region grow continuously. Seoul metropolitan region accounted for 43% of national population, despite 11.8% of national land size in 1990. Although Seoul metropolitan region enjoys important agglomeration economies, it also has huge social cost in the form of transportation congestion, housing shortage, rapid increase of land value, environment pollution, and etc. Efficient metropolitan plan making is a vital element in promoting Seoul's economic development and providing high quality living environment at low cost. In the light of the result of this study, the outer ring of Seoul metropolitan region, especially northeastern part, are underdeveloped compared to overdeveloped southwestern area. It is needed to develop the guidelines for the implement of the growth control and management plan, inducing more balanced development for whole Seoul metropolitan reaion.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 1991

The vertical distribution and chemical characteristics of water masses were measured along two south-north transects in the polar front region of the central Korean East Sea. In February, a thermocline was present at depth between 50m and loom at the southern sites of a landward A-transect, and its depth was gradually deepened northward. At an outside B-transect, a thermocline was observed at significantly deep depth of 300m to 400m at two northern stations(Stn. 10 and 11), though the depth of the southward stations was nearly identical to that at the northward stations on a A-transect. In September, there were vertically more various water masses, i.e. the Tsushima Warm surface water(TWSW) or more than $20^{\circ}C$, the Tsushima Middle water(TMW) with a range of $12{\~}17^{\circ}C$, the North Korea Cold Water(NKCW) with $1{\~}7^{\circ}C$ temperature, the Japan Sea Proper Water(JSPW) of less than $1^{\circ}C$, and the mixed water. The North Korea Cold Water could be distinguishable from the other waters, especially from the mixed water of the Tsushima Middle Water and the Japan Sea Proper Water by the pattern of $T-O_2$ diagram. For instance, the North Korea Cold Water had higher oxygen by $1{\~}2ml/l$ than those in the mixed water, although both the two water masses ranged $1{\~}7^{\circ}C$ in water temperature. AOU value was the highest in the JSPW and the lowest in the TWSW. Also, AOU indicated a nearly linear and negative correlation with water temperature. However, AOU data for two masses, the NKCW and the TMW, in September departed remarkably from a regression line. Moreover, the ratio of $$\Delta P/\Delta AOU)$ in September was about $0.45{\mu}g-at/ml$ and higher than the value observed in the open sea. This high value could be elucidated by two factors; intrusion of the NKCW with high oxygen and molecular diffusion of dissolved oxygen from the surface into the lower layer. AOU would be a useful tracer for water masses in the polar front area of the Korean East Sea.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.18 no.2 s.23
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• pp.107-107
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• 2004

In this paper we have introduced some results of study on stand growth pattern and stand structure of larch forest which are located in selected forest sites of Khangai and Gobi-Altai mountain ranges of Mongolia. Our investigations showed that growth intensity and stand structure in western Mongolia are very specific from the other forest vegetation zones of Mongolia. Studies on the stand structure and growth trend indicate that tree types of stand structure and different types of growth of Larix sibrica are very common in Western Mongolia. These peculiarities of stand structure and growth of larch stands in Western Monolia could be used for inventory work and an improvement of the forest management in Western Mongolian region. The larch tree is the dominant tree species in Western Mogolia. Forest cover of the region is about 15%, which is two times higher than the country's average. In this region forest area is divided into 4 forest sub-regions: the Central Khangai, Western Khangai, North Eastern Khangai and South Easterun Khangai sub-regions including taiga, pseudo taiga, sub taiga, sub-alpine and forest steppe belts. Silviculture practices and forest research management request to study forest growth trends in local and general conditions, which means to indicate a change of taxonomic characteristics of stand from time to time including diameter, height, basal area, growth stock etc. The forest management practice mostly uses tables of forest growth and yield based on the results of long term research on forest growth. Forest yield tables and other relevant forest standards of Russia are used for the forest inventory and forest management. They are not able to determine forest structure and growth peculiatities of Mongolian forests. Studies on forest resource assessment in Mongolia indicate that after logging operations and forest fires the natural regeneration of desired species such as pine and larch often does not succeed. This situation forces to take a different approach of forest management and silviculture practice depending on the stand structure and growth rate of the forest stands. According to our investigation in last years, forest growth pattern of larch forest depends mostly on stand structure, stand age and growth condition including forest soil, climate and location in different slopes. Due to improve environmental function of forest ecosystem in the region, it is needed to conduct very comprehensive study of high mountain forest ecosystem in selected sub-regions.