• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2015

The present study aims to characterize the synoptic climatic patterns of winter extreme low temperature events occurred in different regions of Korea based on daily temperature data observed at 61 weather stations under the supervision of the Korea Meteorological Administation and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis I data for the recent 40 years (1973~2012) period. Analyses of daily maximum and minimum temperatures below 10th percentile thresholds show that high frequencies of winter extreme low temperature events appear across the entire regions of Korea or in either the western or eastern half region divided by major mountain ridges at the 2~7 dayintervals particularly in the first half of the winter period (before mid-January). Composite analyses of surface synoptic climatic data including sea level pressure and wind vector reveal that 13 regional types of winter extreme low temperature events in Korea are closely associated with the relative location and intensity of both the Siberian high pressure and the Aleutian low pressure systems as well as major mountain ridges. Investigations of mid-troposphere (500 hPa) synoptic climatic charts demonstrate that the blocking-like upper troposphere low pressure system advecting the cold air from the Arctic toward the Korean Peninsula may provide favorable synoptic conditions for the outbreaks of winter extreme low temperature events in Korea. These results indicate that the monitoring of synoptic scale climatic systems in East Asia including the Siberian high pressure system, the Aleutian low pressure system and upper level blocking system is critical to the improvement of the predictability of winter extreme low temperature events in Korea.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.321-336
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• 2016

Damages caused by torrential rain occur every year in Korea and summer time convection can cause strong thunderstorms to develop which bring dangerous weather such as torrential rain, gusts, and flash flooding. On 6 August 2013 a sudden torrential rain concentrated over the inland of Southern Korean Peninsula occurred. This was an event characterized as a mesoscale multicellular convection. The purpose of this study is to analyze the conditions of the multicellular convection and the synoptic and mesoscale nature of the system development. To this end, dynamical and thermodynamic analyses of surface and upper-level weather charts, satellite images, soundings, reanalysis data and WRF model simulations are performed. At the beginning stage there was a cool, dry air intrusion in the upper-level of the Korean Peninsula, and a warm humid air flow from the southwest in the lower-level creating atmospheric instability. This produced a single cell cumulonimbus cloud in the vicinity of Baengnyeongdo, and due to baroclinic instability, shear and cyclonic vorticity the cloud further developed into a multicellular convection. The cloud system moved southeast towards Seoul metropolitan area accompanied by lightning, heavy precipitation and strong wind gusts. In addition, atmospheric instability due to daytime insolation caused new convective cells to develop in the upstream part of the Sobaek Mountain which merged with existing multicellular convection creating a larger system. This case was unusual because the system was affected little by the upper-level jet stream which is typical in Korea. The development and propagation of the multicellular convection showed strong mesoscale characteristics and was not governed by large synoptic-scale dynamics. In particular, the system moved southeast crossing the Peninsula diagonally from northwest to southeast and did not follow the upper-level westerly pattern. The analysis result shows that the movement of the system can be determined by the vertical wind shear.

• 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.

• Proceedings of The Korean Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Conference
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• 2016.09a
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• pp.25-28
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• 2016

Recently, because of the weather forecasts through the low-resolution data has been limited, the demand of the high-resolution data is sharply increasing. Therefore, in this study, we restore the ultra-high resolution synthetic precipitation and temperature data for 2000-2014 due to small-scale topographic effect using the QPM (Quantitative Precipitation Model)/QTM (Quantitative Temperature Model). First, we reproduce the detailed precipitation and temperature data with 1km resolution using the distribution of Automatic Weather System (AWS) data and Automatic Synoptic Observation System (ASOS) data, which is about 10km resolution with irregular grid over South Korea. Also, we recover the precipitation and temperature data with 1km resolution using the MERRA reanalysis data over North Korea, because there are insufficient observation data. The precipitation and temperature from restored current climate reflect more detailed topographic effect than irregular AWS/ASOS data and MERRA reanalysis data over the Korean peninsula. Based on this analysis, more detailed prospect of regional climate is investigated.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.171-184
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• 2010

Accurate simulation of the meteorological field is very important to assess the wind resources. Some researchers showed that sea surface temperature (SST) plays a leading role on the local meterological simulation. New Generation Sea Surface Temperature (NGSST), Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis (OSTIA), and Real-Time Global Sea Surface Temperature (RTG SST) have different spatial distribution near the coast and OSTIA shows the best accuracy compared with buoy data in the southeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Those SST products are used to initialize the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model for November 13-23 2008. The simulation of OSTIA shows better result in comparison with NGSST and RTG SST. NGSST shows a large difference with OSTIA in horizontal and vertical wind fields during the weak synoptic condition, but wind power density shows a large difference during strong synoptic condition. RTG SST shows the similar patterns but smaller the magnitude and the extent.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.325-336
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• 2018

The physical infrastructure of the power systems, including the high-voltage transmission towers and lines as well as the poles and wires for power distribution at a lower voltage level, is critical for the resilience of the community since the failures or nonfunctioning of these structures could introduce large area power outages under the extreme weather events. In the current engineering practices, single circuit lattice steel towers linked by transmission lines are widely used to form power transmission systems. After years of service and continues interactions with natural and built environment, progressive damages accumulate at various structural details and could gradually change the structural performance. This study is to evaluate the typical existing transmission tower-line system subjected to synoptic winds (atmospheric boundary layer winds). Effects from the possible corrosion penetration on the structural members of the transmission towers and the aerodynamic damping force on the conductors are evaluated. However, corrosion in connections is not included. Meanwhile, corrosion on the structural members is assumed to be evenly distributed. Wind loads are calculated based on the codes used for synoptic winds and the wind tunnel experiments were carried out to obtain the drag coefficients for different panels of the transmission towers as well as for the transmission lines. Sensitivity analysis is carried out based upon the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) to evaluate the structural capacity of the transmission tower-line system for different corrosion and loading conditions. Meanwhile, extreme value analysis is also performed to further estimate the short-term extreme response of the transmission tower-line system.

• Atmosphere
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2009

Kinematic characteristics of a heavy rainfall event occurred in Changma front are analyzed using synoptic weather charts, satellite imagery and NCEP(National Centers for Environmental Prediction) / NCAR(National Centers for Atmospheric Research) reanalysis data. The heavy rainfall is accompanied with mesoscale rain clouds developing over the Southwest region of Korea during the period from 0300 LST to 2100 LST 25 June 2006. The surface cyclone in the Changma front is generated and developed rapidly when it meets following vertical conditions: The maximum value of relative vorticity is appeared at 700 hPa and is extended gradually near the surface. It is thought that the vertical structure of relative vorticity is closely related with the descent of strong wind zone exceeding $10ms^{-1}$. The jet core at 200 hPa is shifted southward and extended downward and the low-level jet stream associated with upper-level jet stream appeared at 850 hPa. Kinematic features of heavy rainfall system at cyclone-generating point are as follows: In the generating stage of cyclone, the relative vorticity below 850 hPa increased and the convergence below 850 hPa and the divergence at 400 hPa are intensified by southward movement of jet core at 200 hPa. The heavy rainfall system seems to locate to the south of the exit region of upper-level jet streak; In the developing stage of cyclone, the relative vorticity below 850 hPa and the convergence near surface are further strengthened and upward vertical velocity between 850 hPa and 200 hPa is increased.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.335-348
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• 1998

The intensive meteorological observations including pibal balloon at Ungcheon, airsonde and 10m meteorological tower observations at Gulup-Do, where are located In the western coastal region, are taken to Investigate the characteristics of the upper and lower atmospheric structure and the local circulation pattern during the period of 17 to 22 September 1996. The diurnal variations of weather elements(i.e. air temperature, humidity, pressure, and Und speeds at Gulup-Do are analyzed and discussed with those at four inland meteorological stations. The vertical profiles of wind vector, ortho- gonality(Ω), and shear obtained from the pibal obsenrations are also presented to examine the change of wand structure according to the synoptic-scale pressure system's movement. The diurnal temperature changes at Gulup-Do are more sensitive than that of Inland meteorological stations In case of the mow of southwesterlies but are not dominant due to the ocean effect under the Influence of relatively cold northerlies. A well defined mixed layer Is developed from the 500m to the maximum 1700m with a significant capping Inversion layer on the top of it. It can be found from the vertical profiles of wind vector that the wind become generally strong at the interface heights between cloud lay- ers and non-cloud layers. The maximum Und shear Is appeared at the bel각t where the varlauon of wand direction Induced by the passage of synoptic-scale pressure system Is accompanied with the In- crease of Und speed. Based on the wind orthogonality, the change of wind direction with height is more complicated In cloudy day than In clear day. In case of a fair weather, the change of wand direction is showed to be at around 2km.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.159-171
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• 2014

This study investigated the temporal and spatial characteristics of summertime (June-August) precipitation over Korean peninsula, using Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)is Automated Synoptic Observing System (ASOS) data for the period of 1973-2010 and Automatic Weather System (AWS) data for the period of 1998-2010.The authors looked through climatological features of the summertime precipitation, then examined the degree of locality of the precipitation, and probable precipitation amount and its return period of 100 years (i.e., an extreme precipitation event). The amount of monthly total precipitation showed increasing trends for all the summer months during the investigated 38-year period. In particular, the increasing trends were more significant for the months of July and August. The increasing trend of July was seen to be more attributable to the increase of precipitation intensity than that of frequency, while the increasing trend of August was seen to be played more importantly by the increase of the precipitation frequency. The e-folding distance, which is calculated using the correlation of the precipitation at the reference station with those at all other stations, revealed that it is August that has the highest locality of hourly precipitation, indicating higher potential of localized heavy rainfall in August compared to other summer months. More localized precipitation was observed over the western parts of the Korean peninsula where terrain is relatively smooth. Using the 38-years long series of maximum daily and hourly precipitation as input for FARD2006 (Frequency Analysis of Rainfall Data Program 2006), it was revealed that precipitation events with either 360 mm $day^{-1}$ or 80 mm $h^{-1}$ can occur with the return period of 100 years over the Korean Peninsula.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.265-275
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• 1996

Air pollution characteristics and the influence of sea breeze on surface ozone concentration were studied using the data measured at 7 air quality continuous monitoring stations from June to September using 3 years (1990, 1993, 1994) in Pusan coastal area. Among the 246 sea breeze days for research Period, there were approximately 89 sea breeze days (36%) from lune to September, And there were 120 the episode days (68%) of ozone greater than or equal to 60 ppb in summer season. In 89 sea breeze days, the episode day was highly marked as 56 days (63%). So, we knew that the sea breeze greatly affects the occurence of ozone episode day. the ozone concentration under the condition of the sea breeze increase about 40% in the daytime. Frequencies distribution of $O_3$ concentration for sea breeze moved toward high concentration class. The characteristics of ozone concentration in relation to meteorological conditions of sea breeze is significant because we can discover major weather factors for eastablishing an air pollution- weather forecast system. For further. study about meterological approach method for photochemical air pollution, it is necessary to explain the characteristics of atmosphere below 1, 000 m, especially concerning the formation mechanism of inversion layers. And finally, we will study the relationships to synoptic weather conditions and vertical structure and diurnal variation of local wind systems including sea breeze, and the vertical movements of atmosphere in the city.