• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1309-1319
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• 2012

The East Asia (EA) region including China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea are especially vulnerable to hydrometerological extremes during the boreal summer (June-September). Therefore, this study pursued an exploratory analysis to improve better understanding of the potential impacts of the PJ pattern on WNP Tropical cyclone (TC) activity and TC-affected extremes based on the Korean Nakdong River Basin. The results show that during the positive PJ years, the large-scale atmospheric environments tend more favorable for the TC activity than those in the negative PJ years. KP-influenced TCs during the positive (negative) PJ years are likely to occur more southwestward (northeastward), recurve at more northwestward (northeastward) locations, and indicate increase (decrease) in frequency over Korea and Japan. Consequently, TCs making landfall are more exhibited over the southeastern portions of South Korea during the positive PJ years.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.851-864
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• 2015

This study analyzed the climate regime shift using statistical change-point analysis on the time-series tropical cyclone (TC) frequency that affected Japan in July to September. The result showed that there was a significant change in 1995 and since then, it showed a trend of rapidly decreasing frequency. To determine the reason for this, differences between 1995 to 2012 (9512) period and 1978 to 1994 (7894) period were analayzed. First, regarding TC genesis, TCs during the 9512 period showed a characteristic of genesis from the southeast quadrant of the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific and TCs during the 7894 period showed their genesis from the northwest quadrant. Regarding a TC track, TCs in the 7894 period had a strong trend of moving from the far east sea of the Philippines via the East China Sea to the mid-latitude region in East Asia while TCs in the 9512 period showed a trend of moving from the Philippines toward the southern part of China westward. Thus, TC intensity in the 7894 period, which can absorb sufficient energy from the sea as they moved a long distance over the sea, was stronger than that of 9512. Large-scale environments were analyzed to determine the cause of such difference in TC activity occurred between two periods. During the 9512 period, anomalous cold and dry anticyclones were developed strongly in the East Asia continent. As a result, Korea and Japan were affected by the anomalous northerlies thereby preventing TCs in this period from moving toward the mid-latitude region in East Asia. Instead, anomalous easterlies (anomalous trade wind) were developed in the tropical western Pacific so that a high passage frequency from the Philippine to the south China region along the anomalous steering flows was revealed. The characteristics of the anomalous cold and dry anticyclone developed in the East Asia continent were also confirmed by the analysis of air temperature, relative humidity and sensible heat net flux showing that most regions in East Asia had negative values.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.194-208
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• 2017

This study analyzed the correlation between tropical cyclone (TC) frequency and the western North Pacific monsoon index (WNPMI), which have both been influential in East China Sea during the summer season over the past 37 years (1977-2013). A high positive correlation was found between these two variables, but it did not change even if El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years were excluded. To determine the cause of this positive correlation, the highest (positive WNPMI phase) and lowest WNPMIs (negative WNPMI phase) during an eleven-year period were selected to analyze the mean difference between them, excluding ENSO years. In the positive WNPMI phase, TCs were mainly generated in the eastern seas of the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, passing through the East China Sea and moving northward toward Korea and Japan. In the negative phase, TCs were mainly generated in the western seas of the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, passing through the South China Sea and moving westward toward China's southern regions. Therefore, TC intensity in the positive phase was stronger due to the acquisition of sufficient energy from the sea while moving a long distance up to East Asia's mid-latitude. Additionally, TCs occurred more in the positive phase. Regarding the difference in 850 hPa and 500 hPa stream flows between the two phases, anomalous cyclones were strengthened in the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, whereas anomalous anticyclones were strengthened in East Asia's mid-latitude regions. Due to these two anomalous pressure systems, anomalous southeasterlies developed in East China Sea, which played a role in the anomalous steering flows that moved TCs into this region. Furthermore, due to the anomalous cyclones that developed in the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, more TCs could be generated in the positive phase.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2010

This study examined the characteristics of tropical cyclone(TC) activity over the western North Pacific(WNP) in 2009. Twenty-two TCs formed in 2009, which is slightly below normal(1979~2009 average: 25.8) and most of these occurred during the months of July to October. Most TCs in 2009 was formed over the northern Philippines and the eastern part of the WNP and they moved towards the South China Sea and the east of Japan, resulting in less TC affecting the East China Sea and Korea. The TC activity in 2009 is modulated by the large-scale circulations induced by the El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ and vigorous convection activity over the WNP. As the general characteristics of El $Ni{\tilde{n}}o$ year, the difference in sea surface temperature between the central Pacific and the eastern Pacific causes an anomalous westerly winds, expanding the WNP monsoon trough farther eastward. Accordingly, TC formation has relatively increased in the east part of the WNP. Active convection activities over the subtropical western Pacific excite a Rossby wave propagating from the South China Sea to mid-latitudes, resulting in an anomalous easterly steering flow in the South China, anomalous northwesterly over the East China Sea and Korea, and anomalous southwesterly over the east of Japan. Summing up, the TCs cannot enter the East China Sea and Korean region and instead they move towards the South China Sea or south-east of Japan. There were no effects of TCs in Korea in 2009. It is anticipated that this study which analyzed unusual TC activity and large-scale circulations in 2009 would help the predictability of TC effects to increase according to climate change in the East Asia.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.283-301
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• 2014

In 2010, only 14 tropical cyclones (TCs) were generated over the western North Pacific (WNP), which was the smallest since 1951. This study summarizes characteristics of TCs generated in 2010 over the WNP and investigates the causes of the record-breaking TC genesis. A long-term variation of TC activity in the WNP and verification of official track forecast in 2010 are also examined. Monthly tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly data reveal that El Ni$\tilde{n}$o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in 2010 was shifted from El Ni$\tilde{n}$o to La Ni$\tilde{n}$a in June and the La Ni$\tilde{n}$a event was strong and continued to the end of the year. We found that these tropical environments leaded to unfavorable conditions for TC formation at main TC development area prior to May and at tropics east of $140^{\circ}E$ during summer mostly due to low SST, weak convection, and strong vertical wind shear in those areas. The similar ENSO event (in shifting time and La Ni$\tilde{n}$a intensity) also occurred in 1998, which was the second smallest TC genesis year (16 TCs) since 1951. The common point of the two years suggests that the ENSO episode shifting from El Ni$\tilde{n}$o to strong La Ni$\tilde{n}$a in summer leads to extremely low TC genesis during La Ni$\tilde{n}$a although more samples are needed for confidence. In 2010, three TCs, DIANMU (1004), KOMPASU (1007) and MALOU (1009), influenced the Korean Peninsula (KP) in spite of low total TC genesis. These TCs were all generated at high latitude above $20^{\circ}N$ and arrived over the KP in short time. Among them, KOMPASU (1007) brought the most serious damage to the KP due to strong wind. For 14 TCs in 2010, mean official track forecast error of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) for 48 hours was 215 km, which was the highest among other foreign agencies although the errors are generally decreasing for last 10 years, suggesting that more efforts are needed to improve the forecast skill.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.68-81
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• 2015

In this study, the correlation between the frequency of summer tropical cyclones (TC) affecting areas around Korea over the last 37 years and the western North Pacific monsoon index (WNPMI) was analyzed. A clear positive correlation existed between the two variables, and this high positive correlation remained unchanged even when excluding El Ni$\tilde{n}$o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years. To investigate the causes of the positive correlation between these two variables, ENSO years were excluded, after which the 8 years with the highest WNPMI (positive WNPMI phase) and the 8 years with the lowest WNPMI (negative WNPMI phase) were selected, and the average difference between the two phases was analyzed. In the positive WNPMI phase, TCs usually occurred in the eastern waters of the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, and tended to pass the East China Sea on their way north toward Korea and Japan. In the negative WNPMI phase, TCs usually occurred in the western waters of the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, and tended to pass the South China Sea on their way west toward the southeastern Chinese coast and the Indochina peninsula. Therefore, TC intensity was higher in the positive WNPMI phase, during which TCs are able to gain sufficient energy from the sea while moving a long distance to areas nearby Korea. TCs also tended to occur more often in the positive WNPMI phase. In the difference between the two phases regarding 850 and 500 hPa streamline, anomalous cyclones were reinforced in the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, while anomalous anticyclones were reinforced in mid-latitude East Asian areas. Due to these two anomalous pressure systems, anomalous southeasterlies developed in areas near Korea, with these anomalous southeasterlies playing the role of anomalous steering flows making the TCs head toward areas near Korea. Also, due to the anomalous cyclones developed in the tropical and subtropical western North Pacific, more TCs could occur in the positive WNPMI phase.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.221-235
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• 2011

This study summarizes previous studies on the climate change over Korea. Several studies on climate change in the neighboring countries as well as the entire globe are reviewed. Temperature data obtained from modern observational system show an increasing trend beyond the natural variations. The increasing rate of sea surface temperature (SST) over the ocean basins surrounding Korea is higher than that of the global-mean SST. The large increase in the SST over the oceans surrounding Korea may enhance tropical cyclone activity and heavy rainfall frequency in Korea. In addition, it has been reported that the changes in large scale circulation associated with global climate change influence the spatio-temporal variation of monsoon including Changma in summer and cold surges in winter. Although all researches on the subject were not fully discussed in this study due to short period of preparation, allowed pages, and authors' limited knowledge, we expect that this summarized reviews would be helpful to understand climate changes over Korea and the surrounding regions.