Baek-Jo Kim

A teleconnection pattern in upper-level meridional wind over the North African and Eurasian continent in summer

One-point correlation analysis on upper-level meridional wind identified the existence of ateleconnection pattern in July, which emerges from North Africa to East Asia along the westerlyjet in the middle latitudes. We examined the spatial and temporal structures of this teleconnectionpattern, and found the unique characteristics rather different from the patterns in otherelements such as geopotential height, streamfunction and vorticity. We also investigated therelationship between this teleconnection and precipitation, and suggested that the teleconnectionis a possible linkage of the EASM to the Indian monsoon, and even to subtropical heatinganomalies over Atlantic.

Interannual Variation of the South Asian High and Its Relation with Indian and East Asian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

AbstractA diagnostic analysis reveals that on the interannual time scale the southeast–northwest movement is a dominant feature of the South Asian high (SAH), and it is closely related to the Indian and East Asian summer monsoon rainfall. The southeastward (northwestward) shift of the SAH is closely related to less (more) Indian summer monsoon rainfall and more (less) rainfall in the Yangtze River valley (YRV) over the East Asian summer monsoon region. An anomalous AGCM is utilized to examine the effect of latent heat anomalies associated with the Asian summer monsoon rainfall on the SAH. The negative latent heat anomalies over the northern Indian Subcontinent associated with a weak Indian summer monsoon stimulates an anomalous cyclone to its northwest and an anticyclone to its northeast over the eastern Tibetan Plateau and eastern China in the upper troposphere, which is responsible for the east–west shift of the SAH and more rainfall in the YRV. The positive latent heat release associated with rainfall ...

Variation in Summer Surface Air Temperature over Northeast Asia and Its Associated Circulation Anomalies

This study investigates the interannual variation of summer surface air temperature over Northeast Asia (NEA) and its associated circulation anomalies. Two leading modes for the temperature variability over NEA are obtained by EOF analysis. The first EOF mode is characterized by a homogeneous temperature anomaly over NEA and therefore is called the NEA mode. This anomaly extends from southeast of Lake Baikal to Japan, with a central area in Northeast China. The second EOF mode is characterized by a seesaw pattern, showing a contrasting distribution between East Asia (specifically including the Changbai Mountains in Northeast China, Korea, and Japan) and north of this region. This mode is named the East Asia (EA) mode. Both modes contribute equivalently to the temperature variability in EA.The two leading modes are associated with different circulation anomalies. A warm NEA mode is associated with a positive geopotential height anomaly over NEA and thus a weakened upper-tropospheric westerly jet. On the other hand, a warm EA mode is related to a positive height anomaly over EA and a northward displaced jet. In addition, the NEA mode tends to be related to the Eurasian teleconnection pattern, while the EA mode is associated with the East Asia-Pacific/Pacific-Japan pattern.

Relationship between Korean Peninsula Landfalling Tropical Cyclones and Interannual Climate Variabilities

The relationship between two interannual climate variabilities and the frequency of tropical cyclone (TC) that landed over the Korean Peninsula (KP) has investigated for the period of 1951-2004. In the analysis of the relationship between KP-landfall TC frequency and the ENSO phase, most TCs of C-14 (TCs that do not pass through mainland China before landing the KP) and C-23 (TCs that pass through mainland China before landing the KP) tended to more land in the warm phase than normal and cold phases. However, TC intensity at landfall was stronger in the cold and normal phases. In the analysis of the relationship between KP-landfall TC frequency and Arctic Oscillation (AO) phase, the TCs of C-14 tended to more land in the positive (POS) phase of AO and the negative (NEG) phase of AO for C-23. It was found that AO index was negatively correlated with the Nio-3.4 index. And then the TCs of C-14 landed more frequently over the KP in the AO POS - Nio-3.4 NEG phases and in the AO NEG - Nio-3.4 POS phases for the TCs of C-23.

A Simple Introduction of Extratropical Transition of Tropical Cyclone (TC) and a Case Study on the Latest Three TCs: Shanshan (0613), Yaki (0614), and Soulik (0618)

In this article, the extratropical transition (ET) of tropical cyclone (TC) was investigated based on the case study covering the latest three TCs (Shanshaa Yaki, and Soulik) associated with ET evolution (onset and completion) using the objective 37 diagnostics of Evans and Hart (2003) and Hart (2003). At 500-hPa level, on an onset of ET, all three TCs entered the baroclinic zone. In a vertical cross-section analysis, three TCs before and at an onset of ET kept warm and humid throughout all levels around the TC center. However, these TCs after ET onset became relatively cold and dry over the western part of TC as the typical characteristics of ET concept model. Although our case study was not sufficient, it is concluded that the diagnostics of the ET onset and atmospheric structure change associated with Evans and Hart (2003) and Hart (2003) will be useful in ET operational forecast.

Synoptic Analysis on the Trend of Northward Movement of Tropical Cyclone with Maximum Intensity

Regarding the tropical cyclone (TC) genesis frequency, TCs between 1999 and 2013 were generated more frequently in the northwest waters of the tropical- and subtropical western North Pacific than TCs between 1977 and 1998. TCs over the period from 1977-1998 showed a northward track trend generated mostly from the distant sea in east of the Philippines via the mainland of the Philippines and the South China Sea to the west toward Indochina or from the distant sea in east of the Philippines to the distance sea in east of Japan. TCS over the period from 1999-2013 showed a northward shift pattern to the mid-latitude region mostly in East Asia. Therefore, TCs over the period from 1999-2013 tended to move to much higher latitudes than TCs over the period from 1977-1998, which also resulted in the high possibility of maximum TC intensity occurred in higher latitudes during the former period than the latter period. In the difference of 500 hPa streamline between two periods, the anomalous anticyclonic circulations were strengthened in whereas the anomalous monsoon trough was placed in north of the South China Sea, which was extended to the east up to . The mid-latitude in East Asia is affected by the anomalous southeasterlies due to the above anomalous anticyclonic circulations and anomalous monsoon trough. The anomalous southeasterlies play a role in anomalous steering flows that directed TCs to the mid-latitude regions in East Asia, which made the latitudes of the maximum intensities in TCs over the period from 1999 - 2013 further to the north than those in TCs over the period from 1977-1998.

A Study of Teleconnection between the South Asian and East Asian Monsoons: Comparison of Summer Monsoon Precipitation of Nepal and South Korea

This study is carried out in order to bridge the gap to understand the relationships between South Asian and East Asian monsoon systems by comparing the summer (June-September) precipitation of Nepal and South Korea. Summer monsoon precipitation data from Nepal and South Korea during 30 years (1981-2010) are used in this research to investigate the association. NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data are also used to see the nature of large scale phenomena. Statistical applications are used to analyze these data. The analyzed results show that summer monsoon precipitation is higher over Nepal (1513.98 ± 159.29 mm y -1 ) than that of South Korea (907.80 ± 204.71 mm y -1 ) and the wettest period in both the countries is July. However, the coefficient of variation shows that amplitude of interannual variation of summer monsoon over South Korea (22.55%) is larger in comparison to that of Nepal (10.52%). Summer monsoon precipitation of Nepal is found to be significantly correlated to that of South Korea with a correlation coefficient of 0.52 (99% confidence level). Large-scale circulations are studied to further investigate the relationship between the two countries. wind and specific humidity at 850 hPa show a strong westerly from Arabian Sea to BOB and from BOB, wind moves towards Nepal in a northwestward direction during the positive rainfall years. In case of East Asia, strong northward displacement of wind can be observed from Pacific to South Korea and strong anticyclone over the northwestern Pacific Ocean. However, during the negative rainfall years, in the South Asian region we can find weak westerly from the Arabian Sea to BOB, wind is blowing in a southerly direction from Nepal and Bangladesh to BOB.

An Effectiveness of Simultaneous Measurement of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0 Concentrations in Asian Dust and Haze Monitoring

This study introduces a novel approach to the differentiation of two phenomena, Asian Dust and haze, which are extremely difficult to distinguish based solely on comparisons of PM10 concentration, through use of the Optical Particle Counter (OPC), which simultaneously generates PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration. In the case of Asian Dust, PM10 concentration rose to the exclusion of PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration. The relative ratios of PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration versus PM10 concentration were below 40%, which is consistent with the conclusion that Asian Dust, as a prime example of the coarse-particle phenomenon, only impacts PM10 concentration, not PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration. In contrast, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration simultaneously increased with haze. The relative ratios of PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration versus PM10 concentration were generally above 70%. In this case, PM1.0 concentration varies because a haze event consists of secondary aerosol in the fine-mode, and the relative ratios of PM10 and PM2.5 concentration remain intact as these values already subsume PM1.0 concentration. The sequential shift of the peaks in PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentrations also serve to individually track the transport of coarse-mode versus fine-mode aerosols. The distinction in the relative ratios of PM2.5 and PM1.0 concentration versus PM10 concentration in an Asian Dust versus a haze event, when collected on a national or global scale using OPC monitoring networks, provides realistic information on outbreaks and transport of Asian Dust and haze.

Characteristics of Precipitation and Temperature at Ulleung-do and Dok-do, Korea for Recent Four Years(2005~2008)

Characteristics of precipitation and temperature in Ulleung-do and Dok-do were analyzed with hourly accumulated precipitation and mean temperature data obtained from Automatic Weather System(AWS) for latest four years(2005∼2008). In Ulleung-do, total annual mean precipitation for this period is 1,574.4 mm, which shows larger amount than 1434.2 mm of whole Korean peninsula for latest 10 years(1999~2008) and 1,236.2 mm at Ulleung-do on common years(1971~2000), shows that the trend of precipitation gradually increases during the recent years. This amount is also 1.4 times larger than the total annual mean precipitation of 660.1 mm in Dok-do. Mean precipitation intensity(mm    ) at each time of a day in each month at Ulleung-do represents that the maximum values larger than 3.0 mm    were shown in May and on 0200 LST, whereas these were found in August and 0700 LST with 3.1 mm    in Dok-do. The difference of the precipitation amount and its intensity between Uleung-do and Dok-do is explained by the topological effect came from each covering area, and this fact is also identified from similar comparison of the precipitation characteristics for the islands in West Sea. The annual mean temperature of 14.0 ℃ in Dok-do is 1.2 ℃ higher than that of 12.8 ℃ in Ulleung-do. Trends of monthly mean temperature in both islands are shown to increase for the observed period.

Applying a Coupled Hydrometeorological Simulation System to Flash Flood Forecasting over the Korean Peninsula

In flash flood forecasting, it is necessary to consider not only traditional meteorological variables such as precipitation, evapotranspiration, and soil moisture, but also hydrological components such as streamflow. To address this challenge, the application of high resolution coupled atmospheric-hydrological models is emerging as a promising alternative. This study demonstrates the feasibility of linking a coupled atmospheric-hydrological model (WRF/WRFHydro) with 150-m horizontal grid spacing for flash flood forecasting in Korea. The study area is the Namgang Dam basin in Southern Korea, a mountainous area located downstream of Jiri Mountain (1915 m in height). Under flash flood conditions, the simulated precipitation over the entire basin is comparable to the domain-averaged precipitation, but discharge data from WRF-Hydro shows some differences in the total available water and the temporal distribution of streamflow (given by the timing of the streamflow peak following precipitation), compared to observations. On the basis of sensitivity tests, the parameters controlling the infiltration of excess precipitation and channel roughness depending on stream order are refined and their influence on temporal distribution of streamflow is addressed with intent to apply WRF-Hydro to flash flood forecasting in the Namgang Dam basin. The simulation results from the WRF-Hydro model with optimized parameters demonstrate the potential utility of a coupled atmospheric-hydrological model for forecasting heavy rain-induced flash flooding over the Korean Peninsula.