• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.239-251
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• 2012

The food web dynamics in a coastal ecosystem of Korea were predicted with Ecosim, a trophic flow model, under various scenarios of primary productivity due to ocean warming and ocean acidification. Changes in primary productivity were obtained from an earth system model 2.1 under A1B scenario of IPCC $CO_2$ emission and replaced for forcing functions on the phytoplankton group during the period between 2020 and 2100. Impacts of ocean acidification on species were represented in the model for gastropoda, bivalvia, echinodermata, crustacean and cephalopoda groups with effect sizes of conservative, medium and large. The model results show that the total biomass of invertebrate and fish groups decreases 5%, 11~28% and 14~27%, respectively, depending on primary productivity, ocean acidification and combined effects. In particular, the blenny group shows zero biomass at 2080. The zooplankton group shows a sudden increase at the same time, and finally reaches twice the baseline at 2100. On the other hand, the ecosystem attributes of the mean trophic level of the ecosystem, Shannon's H and Kempton's Q indexes show a similar reduction pattern to biomass change, indicating that total biomass, biodiversity and evenness shrink dynamically by impacts of climate change. It is expected from the model results that, after obtaining more information on climate change impacts on the species level, this study will be helpful for further investigation of the food web dynamics in the open seas around Korea.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2002

We have analyzed sea surface temperature and salinity data collected in the western Pacific Ocean by using an automated Thermosalinograph (TSG) installed on the RV Onnuri during May - June of 2001. The TSG data exhibit characteristics of water masses distributed in the near surface layer of the cruise area very well. Especially, they reveal the diurnal surface temperature cycle and the effect of rainfall on temperature and salinity in the equatorial region, showing the effectiveness of the use of TSG. Problems to be improved for the better TSG operation are the method of water sampling and calibration of TSG sensors. Installation of a pressure gauge in the TSG system and periodical sensor calibration are strongly recommended to ensure reliability of data.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2005

In this short article, oceanic processes that could have strong effect on the climate have been explained while focusing on the oceanic thermohaline circulation (THC). First, the structure of THC is explained using a simple scaling law. Then, the thermohaline catastrophe, which is believed to be a cause of a rapid climate changes observed in paleoclimate records, and interdecadal variations in THC are explained. The interactions between the oceans and $CO_2$ are also mentioned briefly.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.401-410
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• 2001

Global climate change will alter many such properties of the Southern Ocean as temperature, circulation, stratification, and sea-ice extent. Such changes are likely to influence the species composition and activity of Antarctic marine microorganisms (protists and bacteria) which playa major role in deter-mining the concentration of atmospheric $CO_2$ and producing precursors of cloud condensation nuclei. Direct impacts of climate change on Antarctic marine microorganisms have been determined for very few species. Increasing water temperature would be expected to result in a southward spread of pelagic cyanobacteria, coccolithophorids and others. Growth rates of many species would be expected to increase slightly but nutrient limitation, especially micronutrients, is likely to result in a negligible increase in biomass. The extent of habitats would be reduced for those organisms presently living close to the upper limit of their thermal tolerance. Increased UVB irradiance is likely to favour the growth of those organisms tolerant of UVB and may change the trophic structure of marine communities. Indirect effects, especially those as a consequence of a diminution of the amount of sea-ice and increased upper ocean stratification, are predicted to lead to a change in species composition and impacts on both trophodynamics and vertical carbon flux.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.266-276
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• 2013

The ocean is the largest reservoir of carbon in the climate system. Atmospheric $CO_2$ is efficiently transferred to the deep ocean by a process called the biological carbon pump: photosynthetic fixation of $CO_2$ at the sea surface and remineralization of sinking organic carbon at depths are main causes for the vertical contrast of carbon in the ocean. The sequestered carbon to the deep ocean returns to the sea surface by ocean circulation. Part of the upwelled $CO_2$ leaks into the atmosphere through air-sea gas exchange. It has been suggested that the air-sea partitioning of carbon has varied in concert with the glacial-interglacial climate variations, due partly to changes in ocean circulation. In this review paper, we briefly summarize key concepts of the oceanic carbon pump. We also discuss the response of the air-sea carbon partitioning to change in ocean circulation in the context of the glacial-interglacial climate change.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.49-57
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• 2016

Even if an external forcing that will drive a climate change is given uniformly over the globe, the corresponding climate change and the feedbacks by the climate system differ by region. Thus the detection of global warming signal has been made on a regional scale as well as on a global average against the internal variabilities and other noises involved in the climate change. The purpose of this study is to estimate a timing of unprecedented climate due to global warming and to analyze the regional differences in the estimated results. For this purpose, unlike previous studies that used climate simulation data, we used an observational dataset to estimate a magnitude of internal variability and a future temperature change. We calculated a linear trend in surface temperature using a historical temperature record from 1880 to 2014 and a magnitude of internal variability as the largest temperature displacement from the linear trend. A timing of unprecedented climate was defined as the first year when a predicted minimum temperature exceeds the maximum temperature record in a historical data and remains as such since then. Presumed that the linear trend and the maximum displacement will be maintained in the future, an unprecedented climate over the land would come within 200 years from now in the western area of Africa, the low latitudes including India and the southern part of Arabian Peninsula in Eurasia, the high latitudes including Greenland and the mid-western part of Canada in North America, the low latitudes including Amazon in South America, the areas surrounding the Ross Sea in Antarctica, and parts of East Asia including Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, an unprecedented climate would come later after 400 years in the high latitudes of Eurasia including the northern Europe, the middle and southern parts of North America including the U.S.A. and Mexico. For the ocean, an unprecedented climate would come within 200 years over the Indian Ocean, the middle latitudes of the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic, parts of the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Ross Sea, and parts of the Arctic Sea. In the meantime, an unprecedented climate would come even after thousands of years over some other regions of ocean including the eastern tropical Pacific and the North Pacific middle latitudes where an internal variability is large. In summary, spatial pattern in timing of unprecedented climate are different for each continent. For the ocean, it is highly affected by large internal variability except for the high-latitude regions with a significant warming trend. As such, a timing of an unprecedented climate would not be uniform over the globe but considerably different by region. Our results suggest that it is necessary to consider an internal variability as well as a regional warming rate when planning a climate change mitigation and adaption policy.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.197-199
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• 2012

According to the IPCC climate change scenario (A1B scenario), the surface seawater temperature of the South Sea of Korea by 2100 may be $2-3.5^{\circ}C$ higher than at present, and seawater pH may decrease from 8.1 to 7.8, due to the increase in atmospheric $CO_2$, which is predicted to increase in concentration from 380 to 750 ppm. These changes may not only intensify the strength of typhoons/storm surges but also affect the function and structure the marine ecosystem. In order to assess the impact of climate change on the marine ecosystem in Korean waters, the project named the 'Assessment of the impact of climate change on marine ecosystem in the South Sea of Korea' has been supported by the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, from 2008. The goal of this project is to enhance our ability to adapt and prepare for the future environmental changes through the reliable predictions based on the knowledge obtained from projects like this. In this respect, this project is being conducted to investigate the effects of climate/marine environment changes (ocean warming and acidification), and to predict future changes of the structure and function of the ecosystem in the South Sea of Korea. This special issue contains 6 research articles, which are the highlights of the studies carried out through this project.

• Spatial Information Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2011

The vulnerability of ocean should be assessed to establish the climate change adaptation policy in field of the ocean, which has big effect on human and natural system. In this study, the criteria for assessing vulnerability of ocean to climate change were employed in terms of sensitivity, adaptative capacity and exposure. And suitable indicators for the criteria were selected and spatial data set for the indicators was prepared. In the ocean sector, the data for indicators were divided into two types, such as the inland and ocean data. The inland data were extrapolated and integrated to the coordinate of ocean data for the vulnerability assessment to climate change. As a result, the spatially diverse distribution of vulnerability on the ocean could be derived from the integration of two types of data. The results showed that southwestern ocean is much more sensitive than west and east ocean. Also southwestern ocean of exposure ratio of change is higher than the other part of ocean. On the other hand the adaptative capacity found that the highest in east ocean. The vulnerability assessment result showed southwestern ocean is more vulnerable than the other part of ocean.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.33 no.spc3
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• pp.359-369
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• 2011

This study documents KORDI's experience of successfully deploying a deep ocean buoy for monitoring oceanic and atmospheric variabilities in the tropical western Pacific Ocea nsince May 2010. The primary focus of this study was to compare TRITON (big and old type) with m-TRITON (smaller and new type) buoys within the JAMSTEC's buoy management system. The objective of operating a KORDI buoy is to ascertain oceanic variability in the tropical western Pacific. We adopted a slack-line mooring type to observe water temperatures at six layers from surface to 400 m depth. However, we could not acquire satisfactory results due to lack of expertise in buoy management system. A new KORDI buoy has been developing, which has been modified from both buoys, and ARGOS-3 satellite system and a slack-type mooring line.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2001

We describe here the Korea ocean prediction system that closely resembles operational numerical weather prediction systems. This prediction system will be served for real-time forecasts. The core of the system is a three-dimensional primitive equation numerical circulation model, based on ${\sigma}$-coordinate. Remotely sensed multi-channel sea surface temperature (MCSST) is imposed at the surface. Residual subsurface temperature is assimilated through the relationship between vertical temperature structure function and residual of sea surface height (RSSH) using an optimal interpolation scheme. A unified grid system, named as [K-E-Y], that covers the entire seas around Korea is used. We present and compare hindcasting results during 1990-1999 from a model forced by MCSST without incorporating RSSH data assimilation and the one with both MCSST and RSSH assimilated. The data assimilation is applied only in the East Sea, hence the comparison focuses principally on the mesoscale features prevalent in the East Sea. It is shown that the model with the data assimilation exhibits considerable skill in simulating both the permanent and transient mesoscale features in the East Sea.