• Title/Summary/Keyword: mesoscale variability

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Variability of Mesoscale Eddies in the Pacific Ocean Simulated by an Eddy Resolving OGCM of $1/12^{\circ}$

  • Yim B.Y.;Noh Y.;You S.H.;Yoon J.H.;Qiu B.
    • 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2006.05a
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    • pp.133-136
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    • 2006
  • The mesoscale eddy field in the North Pacific Ocean, simulated by a high resolution eddy-resolving OGCM ($1/12^{\circ}C$ horizontal resolution), was analyzed, and compared with satellite altimetry data of TOPEX/Poseidon. High levels of eddy kinetic energy (EKE) appear near the Kurosho, North Equatorial Current (NEC), and Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC) in the western part of the subropical gyre. In particlure, it was found that the EKE level of the STCC has a well-defined annual cycle, but no distinct annual cycle of the EKE exists in any other zonal current of the North Pacific Ocean.

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Interannual Variability of the Water Masses Observed in the Tropical Northwestern Pacific (북서태평양 열대해역에서 관측된 수괴의 경년변동성)

  • Choi, Eunji;Jeon, Dongchull
    • Ocean and Polar Research
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    • v.38 no.2
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    • pp.161-169
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    • 2016
  • The interannual variability of the water masses was analyzed from the CTD data measured in the tropical northwestern Pacific from 2006 to 2014. There are two typical water masses NPTW and NPIW that reveal the interannual variability in the survey area, in addition to two other water masses; the surface water mass TSW with a large seasonal variability and the deep water mass AACDW with a constant temperature-salinity characteristic at the depths deeper than 2,000 meters. In 2012 and 2014 NPTW was the most widely extended horizontally and thicker than 100 meters vertically, which was found over the entire survey area. However, NPTW was reduced and became much narrower in 2009 than in the other years. NPIW seemed to expand southwards from the north of $21^{\circ}N$ to $15^{\circ}N$ in 2008 and in 2012, which showed the salinity minimum in 2013 (< 34.15 psu). The sea surface height estimated by Absolute Dynamic Topography (ADT) approximately along $135^{\circ}E$ section showed the high peaks (> $1.45dyn{\cdot}m$) between $16^{\circ}N$ and $18^{\circ}N$ during the periods between 2007 and 2009 and between 2012 and 2013; the former peak lasted wider and longer in latitude and time (about three times) than the latter. The vertical section of the geostrophic currents in the upper 1,000 meters shows that there was a mesoscale pattern of repeated eastward and westward flows a few times in some years (2010 and 2014), which seemed to disappear in some other years (2008 and 2012); the former was closely related to the mesoscale eddies and the latter implied the pattern with the permanent currents. The persistent eastward flow between $17^{\circ}N$ and $19^{\circ}N$ seems to be related to the Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC).

THE STUDY OF SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF THE KUROSHIO EXTENSION USING REMOTE SENSING DATA WITH APPLICATION OF DATA-FUSION METHODS

  • Kim Woo-Jin;Park Gil- Yong;Lim Se-Han;OH Im-Sang
    • Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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    • 2005.10a
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    • pp.434-436
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    • 2005
  • Analysis method using remote sensing data is one of the effective ways to research a spatial and temporal variability of the mesoscale oceanic motions. During past several decades, many researchers have been getting comprehensive results using remote sensing data with application of data fusion methods in many parts of geo-science. For this study, we took the integration and fusion of several remote sensing data, which are different data resolution, timescale and characteristics, for improving accurate analysis of variation of the Kuroshio Extension. Furthermore, we might get advanced ways to understand the variability of the Kuroshio Extension, has close relation to the spatial and temporal variation of the Kuroshio and Oyashio Current.

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A Numerical Modeling Study on the Interannual Variability in the Gulf of Alaska (알라스카 만의 경년변화에 대한 수치모형 실험)

  • Bang, In-Kweon;Zygmunt Kowlik
    • Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.298-308
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    • 1994
  • Ocean circulation in the Northeast Pacific Ocean is simulated using a high-resolution primitive equation numerical model with realistic bottom topography. The goal is to explain better the details of observed interannual variability of the circulation in the Gulf of Alaska. Our numerical model suggests that there is no seasonal shift in the Alaska gyre and that the interannual variability. reported earlier, is most likely the result of embedded mesoscale eddies in the dynamic topography. Such eddies have been observed in hydrographic. satellite-tracked drifters and altimeter data from the Gulf of Alaska.

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Computation of Super High-Resolution Global Ocean Model using Earth Simulator

  • Kim, Dong-Hoon;Norikazu Nakashiki;Yoshikatsu Yoshida;Takaki Tsubono;Frank O. Bryan;Richard D.Smith;Mathew E. Maltrud;Matthew W. Hecht;Julie L. McClean
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers Conference
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    • 2003.08a
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    • pp.164-169
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    • 2003
  • The need fur higher grid resolution in climate models is often discussed (e.g. McAvaney et al.,2001) because a number of important oceanic processes are not resolved by the current generation of coupled models, e.g., boundary currents, mesoscale eddy fluxes, sill through flows. McClean et al., (1997) and Bryan and Smith (1998) have compared simulated mesoscale variability in simulations at several eddy-resolving resolutions to TOPEX/Poseidon and similar data. (omitted)

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Surface Wind Regionalization Based on Similarity of Time-series Wind Vectors

  • Kim, Jinsol;Kim, Hyun-Goo;Park, Hyeong-Dong
    • Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.80-89
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    • 2016
  • In the complex terrain where local wind systems are formed, accurate understanding of regional wind variability is required for wind resource assessment. In this paper, cluster analysis based on the similarity of time-series wind vector was applied to classify wind regions with similar wind characteristics and the meteorological validity of regionalization method was evaluated. Wind regions in Jeju Island and Busan were classified using the wind resource map of Korea created by a mesoscale numerical weather prediction modeling. The evaluation was performed by comparing wind speed, wind direction, and wind variability of each wind region. Wind characteristics, such as mean wind speed and prevailing wind direction, in the same wind region were similar and wind characteristics in different wind regions were meteor-statistically distinct. It was able to identify a singular wind region at the top area of Mt. Halla using the inconsistency of wind direction variability. Furthermore, it was found that the regionalization results correspond with the topographic features of Jeju Island and Busan, showing the validity.

Eddy Kinetic Energy in the East Sea Estimated from Topex/Poseidon Altimeter Measurements

  • Cho Kwangwoo;Cho Kyu-Dae
    • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.5 no.3
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    • pp.219-228
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    • 2002
  • Based on the five-year (October 1992 through September 1997) Topex/Poseidon altimeter measurements, we describe the statistical characteristics of the eddy variability in the East Sea in terms of sea surface height anomaly, slope variability, and eddy kinetic energy (EKE). The sea surface height anomalies in the East Sea are produced with standard corrections from Topex/Poseidon measurements. In order to eliminate the high frequency noise in the sea surface height anomaly data, the alongtrack height anomaly data was filtered by about 40 km low-pass Lanczos filter based on Strub et al. (1997) and Kelly et a1. (1998). We find that there exists a distinct spatial contrast of high eddy variability in the south and low eddy energy in the north, bordering the Polar Front. In the northwestern area $(north\;of\;39^{\circ}N\;and\;west\;of\;133^{\circ}E)$ from the Polar Front where the eddies frequently appear, the EKE is also considerabel. The high kinetic energy in the southern East Sea reveals a close connection with the paths of the Tsushima Warm Current, suggesting that the high variability in the south is mainly generated by the baroclinic instability process of the Tsushima Warm Current. This finding is supported by other studies (Fu and Zlontnicki, 1989; Stammer, 1997) wh.ch have shown the strong eddy energy coupled in the major current system. The monthly variation of the EKE in both areas of high and low eddy variability shows a strong seasonality of a high eddy kinetic energy from October to February and a relatively low one from March to September. The sequential pattern of wind stress curl shows resemblance with those of monthly and seasonal EKE and the two sequences have a correlation of 0.82 and 0.67, respectively, providing an evidence that wind stress curl can be the possible forcing for the monthly and seasonal variation of the EKE in the East Sea. The seasonality of the EKE also seems to correlate with the seasonality of the Tsushima Warm Current. There also exists the large spatial and interannual variabilities in the EKE.

Changed Relationship between Snowfall over the Yeongdong region of the Korean Peninsula and Large-scale Factors

  • Cho, Keon-Hee;Chang, Eun-Chul
    • Journal of the Korean earth science society
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    • v.38 no.3
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    • pp.182-193
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    • 2017
  • A typical snowfall pattern occurs over the east coastal region of the Korean Peninsula, known as the Yeongdong region. The precipitation over the Yeongdong region is influenced by the cold and dry northeasterly wind which advects over warm and moist sea surface of the East Sea of Korea. This study reveals the influence of large-scale factors, affecting local to remote areas, on the mesoscale snowfall system over the Yeongdong region. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of Energy reanalysis dataset, Extended Reconstructed sea surface temperature, and observed snowfall data are analyzed to reveal the relationship between February snowfall and large-scale factors from 1981 to 2014. The Yeongdong snowfall is associated with the sea level pressure patterns over the Gaema Plateau and North Pacific near the Bering Sea, which is remotely associated to the sea surface temperature (SST) variability over the North Pacific. It is presented that the relationship between the Yeongdong snowfall and large-scale factors is strengthened after 1999 when the central north Pacific has warm anomalous SST. These enhanced relationships explain the atmospheric patterns of recent strong snowfall years (2010, 2011, and 2014). It is suggested that the newly defined index in this study based on related SST variability can be used for a seasonal predictor of the Yeongdong snowfall with 2-month leading.

Statistical Characteristics of East Sea Mesoscale Eddies Detected, Tracked, and Grouped Using Satellite Altimeter Data from 1993 to 2017 (인공위성 고도계 자료(1993-2017년)를 이용하여 탐지‧추적‧분류한 동해 중규모 소용돌이의 통계적 특성)

  • LEE, KYUNGJAE;NAM, SUNGHYUN;KIM, YOUNG-GYU
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.267-281
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    • 2019
  • Energetic mesoscale eddies in the East Sea (ES) associated with strong mesoscale variability impacting circulation and environments were statistically characterized by analyzing satellite altimeter data collected during 1993-2017 and in-situ data obtained from four cruises conducted between 2015 and 2017. A total of 1,008 mesoscale eddies were detected, tracked, and identified and then classified into 27 groups characterized by mean lifetime (L, day), amplitude (H, m), radius (R, km), intensity per unit area (EI, $cm^2/s^2/km^2$), ellipticity (e), eddy kinetic energy (EKE, TJ), available potential energy (APE, TJ), and direction of movement. The center, boundary, and amplitude of mesoscale eddies identified from satellite altimeter data were compared to those from the in-situ observational data for the four cases, yielding uncertainties in the center position of 2-10 km, boundary position of 10-20 km, and amplitude of 0.6-5.9 cm. The mean L, H, R, EI, e, EKE, and APE of the ES mesoscale eddies during the total period are $95{\pm}104$ days, $3.5{\pm}1.5cm$, $39{\pm}6km$, $0.023{\pm}0.017cm^2/s^2/km^2$, $0.72{\pm}0.07$, $23{\pm}21TJ$, and $588{\pm}250TJ$, respectively. The ES mesoscale eddies tend to move following the mean surface current rather than propagating westward. The southern groups (south of the subpolar front) have a longer L, larger H, R, and higher EKE, APE; and stronger EI than those of the northern groups and tend to move a longer distance following surface currents. There are exceptions to the average characteristics, such as the quasi-stationary groups (the Wonsan Warm, Wonsan Cold, Western Japan Basin Warm, and Northern Subpolar Frontal Cold Eddy groups) and short-lived groups with a relatively larger H, higher EKE, and APE and stronger EI (the Yamato Coastal Warm, Central Yamato Warm, and Eastern Japan Basin Coastal Warm eddy groups). Small eddies in the northern ES hardly resolved using the satellite altimetry data only, were not identified here and discussed with potential over-estimations of the mean L, H, R, EI, EKE, and APE. This study suggests that the ES mesoscale eddies 1) include newly identified groups such as the Hokkaido and the Yamato Rise Warm Eddies in addition to relatively well-known groups (e.g., the Ulleung Warm and the Dok Cold Eddies); 2) have a shorter L; smaller H, R, and lower EKE; and stronger EI and higher APE than those of the global ocean, and move following surface currents rather than propagating westward; and 3) show large spatial inhomogeneity among groups.

Synoptic Environment Associated with Extreme Heavy Snowfall Events in the Yeongdong Region (영동 지역의 극한 대설 사례와 관련된 종관 환경)

  • Kwon, Tae-Yong;Cho, Young-Jun;Seo, Dong-Hee;Choi, Man-Gyu;Han, Sang-Ok
    • Atmosphere
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.343-364
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    • 2014
  • This study presents local and synoptic conditions associated with extreme heavy snowfall events in the Yeongdong region, as well as the temporal and spatial variability of these conditions. During the last 12 years (2001~2012), 3 extreme snowfall events occurred in the Yeongdong region, which recorded daily snowfall greater than 50 cm, respectively. In these events, one of the noticeable features is the occurrence of heavy hourly snowfall greater than 10 cm. It was reported from satellite analysis that these heavy snowfall may be closely related to mesoscale convective clouds. In this paper the 3 extreme events are examined on their synoptic environments associated with the developments of mesoscale convective system using numerical model output. These 3 events all occurred in strongly forced synoptic environments where 500 and 300 hPa troughs and 500 hPa thermal troughs were evident. From the analysis of diagnostic variables, it was found in all 3 events that absolute vorticity and cold air advection were dominant in the Yeongdong region and its surrounding sea at upper levels, especially at around 500 hPa (absolute vorticity: $20{\sim}60{\times}10^{-5}s^{-1}$, cold air advection: $-10{\sim}-20^{\circ}C$ $12hr^{-1}$). Moreover, the spatial distributions of cold advection showed mostly the shape of a narrow band along the eastern coast of Korea. These features of absolute vorticity and cold advection at 500 hPa were sustained for about 10 hours before the occurrence of maximum hourly snowfall.