• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.40 no.6 s.111
• /
• pp.730-747
• /
• 2005

This study examines relationships between climatic factors and spatial-temporal patterns and recent changes of tropical night phenomenon(TN) occurring through nighttime stages in South Korea. Frequencies of daily TN at different times of night are extracted from long term(1973-2004) 6 hourly nighttime(9PM and 3AM) temperature and daily minimum temperature data at 61 weather stations. Temporally, the occurrences of TN are more pronounced in the evening(9PM) and during the Changma Break period(late July - early August). Spatially, the TNs in the evening frequently occur in the urbanized inland cities at low latitudes due to urban heat islands, whereas the TNs in the middle of night(3AM) or at dawn frequently appeared along the coastal areas within 30km from ocean due to the thermal inertia of ocean. By contrast, the evening(dawn) TN is not seen in the highlands whose elevation is greater than 800m(300m) along the Taebaek and Sobaek mountain ridges due to temperature lapse rates with height Correlation and multivariate regression analyses reveal that the impacts of human or physical climatic factors, such as latitude, elevation, proximity to ocean, and population density, are diverse on the frequencies of TN according to nighttime stages. Recent temporal changes of the late Changma period and intensified urbanization during the 1990s have increased the occurances of TN in urban areas. Therefore, strategies to mitigate the increasing urban TN should be prepared in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.313-323
• /
• 2006

Forest Canopy Density is a dynamic process mediated by various natural and anthropogenic factors. It can be changed over time and locations in the same forest type and landscape. However, human dimensions are considered as the primary force of landscape change and subsequent forest canopy loss in tropical regions of the world. Many studies have been indicated that roads have a far greater impact on forests than simply allowing access for human use. Similarly, rivers have been used as means of transportation, hence illegal logging and felling further deplete forest canopy density. The main objective of this study was to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamic alterations of Forest Canopy Density (FCD) across with site associated factors such as biophysical, physical and human interferences in tropical region of Nepal from 1988 to 2001. Landsat TM and ETM+ of 1988 and 2001 were used to assess the spatial and temporal dynamic alterations of FCD. This analysis revealed that distance to human settlements at P=<0.01, rivers, human interferences (path and fire) and species composition had a statistically significance at P=<0.05 level. However, other factors did not show any significant relation. So, we concluded that understanding of dynamic alterations of FCD with respect to factors was quite complex phenomena. Other surrounding environment could also playa significant role. A comprehensive analysis could be required to understand such complexities. Therefore, additional factors such as climatic, biophysical, social, and institutional with respect to spatio-temporal variability should be considered for the better understanding of canopy dynamic.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.334-343
• /
• 2014

The number of malaria cases has been undulating for the past 10 years in Korea since the reemergence of malaria in early 1990's. Considering the spatial variations of malaria incidence across the northmost border areas near the demilitarized zone (DMZ), the occurrence of the disease seems to be influenced by the natural and human environment in the region. Malaria is an infectious disease that is transmitted to humans by the bites of vector-mosquitoes that carry malaria parasites, and its incidence rate depends on specific climatic and sociodemographic factors. This study found that the spatial characteristics of malaria incidence have varied depending on relative proportions of mosquito habitats, distance between mosquito habitats and human residence, the physical and sociodemographic environments of the city by urbanization, and local topography.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.31 no.11
• /
• pp.1520-1529
• /
• 2007

Workers on construction sites are exposed to multiple and varied threats. Of those, climatic factors such as high/low air temperatures and high/low humidity have a bad mental and physical health effect on workers. Especially, work in hot environment has a tendency to cause fatigue, reduce productivity and increase the incidence of accident. So, the purpose of this research was to understand working clothes and working environment of workers at a construction site in summer. The depth interview was performed by 45 workers of 4 different construction sites and the results were as follows. Workers wore average 4 items as clothing(upper, lower) and average 5 items as personal protective equipments(PPEs). They answered "head" is the hottest body area and must be protected during working. This means the necessity of development in safety hat. In addition, it should be developed working clothes and gaiters for alleviating heat stress and safety shoes for diminishing weight. It is expected that this research plays basic and important rolls to develop PPEs for reducing the heat stress of construction workers.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.138-159
• /
• 1996

There has been a tendency for Geomorphology and Climatology to be dominant in Physical Geography for 50 years in Korea. Physical Geography is concerned with the study of the totality of natural environment through the integrated approaches. But, an overall direction or a certain paradigm could not be found, because major sub-divisions of Physical Geography have been studied individually and the subjects and the approaches in studying Physical Geography are enormously diverse. A consensus of opinion could not also exist in deciding what kind of the sub-divisions should be included in the physical geography in general and how those should be summarized. Furthermore it would be considered imprudent to survey the studies of Physical Geography besides those of Geomorphology and Climatology due to the small number of researchers. Assuming that the rest of Physical Geographical studies with the exception of Geomorphological and Climatological studies are the Physical Geography in general, the studies of Physical Geogrpahy in general are summarized and several aspects are drown out as follows. First the descliption of all possible factors of natural environments was the pattern of early studies of Physical Geography and the tendency is maintained in the various kinds of research and project reports. Recently Physical Geographers have published several introductory textbooks or research monographs. In those books, however, the integrated approaches to Physical Geography were not suggested and the relationship between man and nature are dealt with in the elementary level. Second, the authentic soil studies of Physical Geographers are insignificant, because the studies of soil in Physical Geography have been mostly considered as the subsidiary means of Geomorphology Summarizing the studies of Soil Gegraphy by physical geographers and other Pedologists, the subjects are classified as soil-forming processes, soil erosions, soil in the tidal flat and reclaimed land, and soil pollution. Physical Geographers have focused upon the soil-forming processes in order to elucidate the geomorphic processes and the past climatic environment. The results of other subjects are trifling. Thirdy Byogeygrayhers and the results of studies are extremely of small number and the studies of Biogeography in Korea lines in the starting point. But, Biogeography could be a more unifying theme for the Physical-human Geography interface, and it would be expected to play an active part in the field of environmental conservation and resource management. Forth, the studies of Hydrogeography (Geographical Hydrology) in Korea have run through the studies of water balance and the morphometric studies such as the drainage network analysis and the relations of various kinds of morphometric elements in river. Recently, the hydrological model have introduced and developed to predict the flow of sediment, discharge, and ground water. The growth of groundwater studies is worthy of close attention. Finally, the studies on environmental problems was no mole than the general description about environmental destruction, resource development, environmental conservation, etc. until 1970s. The ecological perspectives on the relationship between man and nature were suggested in some studies of natural hazard. The new environmentalism having been introduced since 1980s. Human geographers have lead the studies of Environmental Perception. Environmental Ethics, Environmental Sociology, environmental policy. The Physical geographers have stay out of phase with the climate of the time and concentrate upon the publication of introductory textbooks. Recently, several studies on the human interference and modification of natural environments have been made an attempt in the fields of Geomorphology and climatology. Summarizing the studies of Physical Geography for 50 years in Korea, the integrated approaches inherent in Physical Geography disappeared little by little and the majol sub-divisions of Physical Ceography have develop in connection with the nearby earth sciences such as Geology, Meteorology, Pedology, Biology, Hydrology, etc been rediscovered by non-geographers under the guise of environmental science. It is expected that Physical Geography would revive as the dominant subject to cope with environmental problems, rearming with the innate integrated approaches.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.35-49
• /
• 1999

The North Pacific Arctic region has common factors such as climatic characteristics and similarity of animals inhabiting the region. But also there exists geographical barriers that separates the tribes, different languages between the tribes. Although there are such differences, the clothing and ornaments of the region have relatively similar design and style. And above all possess the ‘spirit’. The tribes find the motives of such ‘spirit’ in human, animal, and soul\`s adaptability to change and in grafting such changes of forms into clothing. Especially as means of pleasing the animal that they vitally rely on, the tribes made the clothing as beautiful as the nature itself and they tried to connect the humans and animals universally through such clothing that have social, artistic, and enchantic conditions. The supply of raw materials of animals has elevated the creativeness one step up and the precise knowledge about fur show their superior techniques in making fur clothing. The use of gutskin has is an excellent example of such knowledge, which is very unique of the region. The gutskin has moderate plasticity and thus can be cut into all sorts of pattern. It harmonizes the functionality and practicality. The worldwide fashion trend is dominated by Western style, but the clothing of this region is still keeping its distinctive folk identity. At the start of the research, Kayak and itelmen tribes of Asia, the tribes of Amur river and Aleut and Tlingit tribes of North America seems to be geographically too far from each other and therefore searching theoretical background for common cultural origins seems to be immoderate. But lighting the fact that geographical adjacency that can be perceived through costume cultural history, is the most important factor that gives mutual influences to costume culture between the neighboring tribes, cultural relative similarity of the costume is influenced by geographical location rather than physical distance between the tribes. Also humans\` adaptability to their environment is seriously contaminated with man-made products. This study on North Pacific Arctic region is telling us many things about our past, present and future.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.151-164
• /
• 1996

The regional division by the characteristics of the drainage patterns is important to understand its physical environment comprehensively, because the drainage network develops in reflecting characteristics of geological, geographical and climatical features in the drainage basin keenly. This study is the attempt to divide physical region in China whose drainage pattern is diverse. Chinese drainage basin is mainly divided into the interior drainage basin and the peripheral drainage basin. The interior drainage basin is divided into (1)the deranged pattern and (2)the centripetal pattern. The peripheral drainage basin is divided into (1)the dendritic pattern, (2)the parallel pattern, (3)the radial pattern and (4)the anastomatic pattern. Drainage patterns of the interior drainage basin are formed by affecting geographical features and climatic conditions mainly. In the peripheral drainage basin, drainage patterns are formed by other factors: the parallel pattern is connected with geological structure lineament by tectonic movement, the radial pattern with changes of the river channel resulted from the Yellow River's overflow, the anastomotic pattern with human's activities. The distributional features of the physical region in China are as follows: The deranged pattern appears in Zangbai Plateau, the centripetal pattern does in arid basin of the northwest China. the parallel pattern does in Hengduan mountains affected strongly by tectonic movement between Yangtze paraplatform and Indian Plate, does in the upper stream of Yangtze River and Ganges River in the south of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the radial pattern in Huaihe Haihe River drainage basin appearing in the alluvial fan region of Yellow River's downstream and the anastomotic pattern does in the delta of Yangtze River, in the northern coastal plain of the Jiangsu-Province and in the delta of Zhujiang River. Except these areas in the peripheral drainage basin, the dendritic pattern is usually found in the other areas.