• Atmosphere
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.387-398
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• 2010

This study shows that frequency of tropical cyclone (TC) around Korea in summer (June-September) has positive relation with Arctic Oscillation (AO) in the preceding April. In a positive AO phase, each of anomalous cyclone and anomalous anticyclone is developed in low latitude and middle latitude regions of East Asia from the preceding April to summer. As a result, while anomalous southeasterly around Korea serves as a steering flow that TCs move toward this area is strengthened, northwesterly that reinforced in southeastern area of East Asia plays a role in preventing TCs from moving toward this area. In addition, due to this distribution of pressure systems developed in this AO phase, TCs tend to occur, move and recurve in further northeastern region in the western North Pacific than TCs in a negative AO phase. On the contrary, TCs in a negative AO phase mainly move westward toward southern China or Indochina Peninsula from Philippines. Eventually, intensity of TCs is weaker than those in a positive AO phase due to the terrain effect caused by high passage frequency of TCs in mainland China.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.449-454
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• 2012

This study presents the long-term variability of spring precipitation over the Korean peninsula. It is found that the significant interdecadal change in the spring precipitation has occurred around year 1991. Over the Korean peninsula the precipitation for the post-1991 period increased by about 30 mm per year in CMAP and station-measured data compared to the precipitation prior to year 1991. Due to an increased baroclinicity during the later period, the low-level negative pressure anomaly has developed with its center over northern Japan. Korea is situated at the western end of the negative pressure anomaly, receiving moisture from westerly winds and producing more precipitation. Also, we estimate the change in the near future (years 2020~2040) spring precipitation using six best performing Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 3 (CMIP3) models. These best model ensemble mean shows that spring precipitation is anticipated to increase by about 4% due to the strengthened westerlies accompanied by the northwestern enhancement of the North Pacific subtropical high.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2014

The definition of onset date of Changma is revisited in this study using a quality controlled Ieodo ocean research station data. The Ieodo station has great importance in terms of its southwest location from Korean Peninsula and, hence, makes it possible to predict Changma period in advance with less impact of continents. The onset date of Changma using the Ieodo station data is defined by the time that meridional wind direction changes and maintains from northerly to southerly, and then the zonal wind changes from easterly to westerly after first June. This definition comes from a recognition that the establishment and movement of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) cause Changma through southwesterly flow. The onset data of Changma has been determined by large-scale dynamic-thermodynamic characteristics or various meteorological station data. However, even the definition based on circulation data at the Ieodo station has a potential for the improved prediction skill of the onset date of Changma. The differences between before and after Changma, defined as Ieodo station data, are also found in synoptic chart. The convective instability and conspicuous circulations, corresponding low-level southwesterly flow related to WNPSH and strong upper-level zonal wind, are represented during Changma.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.79-91
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• 2019

Long-term trends and recent variations of upwelling index (UI), which affects significantly ecosystem in southwestern part of the East Sea, were investigated. The UI was calculated with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from January 1948 to September 2018. The mean UI has positive value that causes upwelling in April to August with a peak in July. The long-term reducing trend of UI was in statistically significant in June and July, and the sum of UI in May, June and July also showed same result. Through the atmospheric pressure analysis around the Korean peninsula, it was found that the trend of the UI was the influence of the pressure change trend in the northwestern region ($35-50^{\circ}N$, $114-129^{\circ}E$) of the southwestern part of the East Sea. Investigating UI in recent 7 years from 2012 to 2018, it was revealed that the UI was bigger than 3 times of standard deviation in July 2013. This was result from the sea level pressure difference became larger in the southwestern part of the East Sea than normal year due to the lowered air pressure in the northeastern region of China and the strengthened high air pressure of western peripheral of the North Pacific High. On the other hand, the UI in July 2018 was negative when the impact of the North Pacific High and the low air pressure in the northeastern China was weak. Due to the decreasing trend of UI and its large year-to-year variation in southwestern part of the East Sea, continuous monitoring is necessary to know the influence of coastal upwelling on the ecosystem.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9065-9070
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• 2014

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is high in Western and Northern Europe and North America, and low in Asia. Although the incidence of RCC in Japan is lower than the rates in the other industrialized countries, there is no doubt that it is increasing. In this paper, we would like to introduce the summary of findings of JACC study, which evaluate the risk factors for RCC in a Japanese population. JACC study suggests nine risk factors (i.e., smoking, obesity, low physical activity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, kidney diseases, beef, fondness for fatty food and black tea) and one preventive factor (i.e., starchy roots such as taro, sweet potato and potato) in a Japanese population. In Japan, however, drinking black tea may be a surrogate for westernized dietary habits while eating starchy roots may be a surrogate for traditional Japanese dietary habits. Further studies may be needed to evaluate risk factors for RCC because the number of cases is small in our studies.

• Atmosphere
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.381-394
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• 2022

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) National Typhoon Center has been officially releasing reanalyzed best tracks for the previous year's northwest Pacific typhoons since 2015. However, while most typhoon researchers are aware of the data released by other institutions, such as the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center (RSMC) Tokyo, they are often unfamiliar with the KMA products. In this technical note, we describe the best track data released by KMA, and the algorithms that are used to generate it. We hope that this will increase the usefulness of the data to typhoon researchers, and help raise awareness of the product. The best track reanalysis process is initiated when the necessary database of observations-which includes satellite, synoptic, ocean, and radar observations-has become complete for the required year. Three categories of best track information-position (track), intensity (maximum sustained winds and central pressure), and size (radii of high-wind areas)-are estimated based on scientific processes. These estimates are then examined by typhoon forecasters and other internal and external experts, and issued as an official product when final approval has been given.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.227-241
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• 2016

This study investigated the cause of the heavy snowfall that occurred in the East Coast of Korea from 6 February to 14 February 2014. The synoptic conditions were analyzed using blocking index, equivalent potential temperature, potential vorticity, maritime temperature difference, temperature advection, and ground convergence. During the case period, a large blocking pattern developed over the Western Pacific causing the flow to be stagnant, and there was a North-South oriented High-to-Low pressure system over the Korean Peninsula because of this arrangement. The case period was divided into three parts based on the synoptic forcing that was responsible for the heavy snowfall; detailed analyses were conducted for the first and last period. In the first period, a heavy snowfall occurred over the entire Korean Peninsula due to strong updrafts from baroclinic instability and a low pressure caused by potential vorticity located at the mid-troposphere. In the lower atmosphere, a North-South oriented High-to-Low pressure system over the Eastern Korea intensified the easterly airflow and created a convergence zone near the ground which strengthened the upslope effect of the Taebaek Mountain range with a cumulative fresh snowfall amount of 41 cm in the East Coast region. In the last period, the cold air nestled in the Maritime Province of Siberia and Manchuria strengthened much more than that in the first half and extended to the East Sea. The temperature difference between the 850 hPa air and the SST was large and convective clouds developed over the sea. The highest cumulative fresh snow amount of 39.7 cm was recorded in the coastal area during this period. During the entire period, vertically oriented equivalent potential temperature showed neutral stability layer that helped the cloud formation and development in the East Coast. The 2014 heavy snowfall case over the East Coast provinces of Korea were due to: 1) stagnation of the system by blocking pattern, 2) the dynamic effect of mid-level potential vorticity of 1.6 PVU, 3) the easterly air flow from North-South oriented High-to-Low pressure system, 4) the existence of vertically oriented neutral stable layer, and 5) the expansion of strong cold air into the East Sea which created a large temperature difference between the air and the ocean.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.395-404
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• 2014

We conducted the geophysical survey of possible hydrothermal vent sites at 2009, in the Lau Basin, the south western Pacific and analyzed the magnetic characteristics of TA19-1 and TA19-2 seamounts. TA19-1 is a cone-shaped seamount with a caldera summit. TA19-2 seamount is bigger and shows more complicated topography than TA19-1 seamount. TA19-2 has a large caldera, a summit in the west side of the caldera and several crests. Simple dipole anomalies with a high over the north and a low over the south occur in TA19-1 seamount. High magnetic anomalies are located in the northern flank and the summit of TA19-2 seamount and low anomalies around the summit and the caldera. The results of bathymetry and magnetic data suggest that TA19-2 seamount might have more complicated magmatic process than TA19-1. Low magnetization zones are located over the summit, the calderas and the caldera rims. The magnetization lows indicate that submarine hydrothermal vents, along faults and fracture zones, could have caused an alteration of magnetic minerals. The magnetization highs over the summit and the calderas might have been related with later magmatisms like volcanic sills, intrusions.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2022

Although tropical cyclones with wind speeds weaker than 17 ms^-1 (weak tropical cyclones: WTCs) can cause significant damage, particularly over the Seoul metropolitan area, only a few studies have focused on WTC activity over South Korea. In this study, we found that WTC activity is likely associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). During the negative phases of the PDO, landfall frequency of WTCs increased significantly compared to the positive phases at 95% confidence level. When related to the negative phases of the PDO, a positive relative vorticity anomaly is found in the northern sector of the western North Pacific while a negative relative vorticity anomaly and enhanced vertical wind shear prevail in the southern sector of the WNP. These factors are favorable for the northward shift of the genesis location of tropical cyclones on average, thereby reducing the total lifetime of WTCs. Moreover, a high-pressure anomaly over the Japanese islands would shift a tropical cyclone track westward in addition to the landfall location. Consequently, the effects of the topographical friction and the Yellow Sea Bottom Cold Water on a tropical cyclone may increase. These conditions could result in a weaker lifetime maximum intensity and landfall intensity, ultimately resulting in WTCs becoming more frequent over South Korea during the negative phases of the PDO.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.283-295
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• 2007

We investigated the longitudinal variations in zooplankton abundances and their related physicochemical properties at nine stations located between $136^{\circ}W$ and $128^{\circ}W$ at $10.5^{\circ}N$ in the northeastern Pacific in summer 2004. Temperature, salinity, inorganic nutrients, chlorophyll-a (hereafter chl-a) and zooplankton ($>200\;{\mu}m$) were sampled within the depth from the surface to 200 m depth at $1^{\circ}$ longitude intervals. Zooplankton($>200\;{\mu}m$) samples were vertically collected at two depth intervals from surface to 200 m, consisting of surface mixed and lower layers (thermocline$\sim$200 m). Longitudinal distributional pattern of hydrological parameters (especially salinity) was physically influenced by the intensity of westward geostrophic current passage relating to the NEC (North Equatorial Current). Data from the longitudinal survey showed clear zonal distributions in the hydrological parameters(temperature, salinity and nutrients). However, spatial patterns of the chl-a concentrations and zooplankton abundances were mostly independent of the zonal distributions of hydrological parameters. The two peaks of zooplankton abundance in the surface mixed layer were characterized by different controlling factors such as bottom-up control from nutrients to zooplankton ($129^{\circ}W$) and accumulation by increment of friction force and taxonomic interrelationship ($133^{\circ}$ and $134^{\circ}W$). Divergence-related upwelling caused introduction of nutrients into surface waters leading to the increment of chl-a concentration and zooplankton abundances ($129^{\circ}W$). Increased friction force in relation to reduced flow rates of geostrophic currents caused accumulation of zooplankton drifting from eastern stations of study area($133^{\circ}$ and $134^{\circ}W$). Besides, high correlation between immature copepods and carnivorous groups such as chaetognaths and cyclopoids also possibly contributed to the enhanced total abundance of zooplankton in the surface mixed layer (p<0.05). Zooplankton community was divided into three groups (A, B, C) which consecutively included the eastern peak of zooplankton($129^{\circ}W$), the western peak($133^{\circ}$ and $134^{\circ}W$) and high nutrient but low chl-a concentration and zooplankton abundance ($136^{\circ}W$). Moreover, Group B corresponded to the westward movement of low saline waters(<33.6 psu) from 128 to $132^{\circ}W$. In summary, longitudinal distributions of zooplankton community was characterized by three different controlling factors: bottom-up control ($129^{\circ}W$), accumulation by increased friction force and relationships among zooplankton groups ($133^{\circ}$ and $134^{\circ}W$), and mismatch between hydrological parameters and zooplankton in the high nutrient low chlorophyll area ($136^{\circ}W$) during the study period.