• Atmosphere
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2023

Blocking refers to a class of weather phenomena appearing in the mid and high latitudes, whose characteristics are blocked airflow of persistence. Frequently found over the Pacific and Atlantic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, blocking affects severe weather in the surrounding areas with different mechanisms depending on the type of blocking patterns. Along with lots of studies about persistent weather extremes focusing on the specific types of blocking, a new categorization using Rossby wave breaking has emerged. This study aims to apply this concept to the classification of blockings over the Pacific and examine how different wave breakings specify the associated cold weather in the Korean peninsula. At the same time, we investigate a strongly developing ridge around the Pacific by designing a new detection algorithm, where a reversal method is modified to distinguish ridge-type blocking patterns. As result, Kamchatka blocking (KB) and strong ridge over the Central Pacific are observed the most frequently during 20 years (2001~2020) of the studied period, and anomalous low pressures with cold air over the Korean Peninsula are accompanied by blocking events. When it considers the Rossby wave breaking, cyclonic wave-breaking is dominant in KB, which generates low-pressure anomalies over the Korean Peninsula. However, KB with anticyclone wave breaking appears with the high-pressure anomalies over the Korean Peninsula and it generates the warm temperature anomaly. Lastly, the low-pressure anomalies are also generated by the strong ridge over the Central Pacific, which persists for approximately three days and give a significant impact on cold surge on the Korean Peninsula.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.607-617
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• 2009

Radar beam blocking which is partially or entirely interrupted by obstacles like a mountain causes underestimation of the rainfall. In this paper, partially blocked radar reflectivity is retrieved using the ARM(Accumulated Reflectivity Map). ARM is made by accumulation of the radar reflectivity and very useful product to analyze the beam blockage. The blockage correcting map could be obtained by assuming the spatially uniform reflectivity field in the ARM. This method is applied to the cases of typhoon and Changma, and we obtain the MFE(Mean Fractional Error) from two radar data, the one is objective radar data which is affected by blockage and the other is comparative radar data which is not affected by blockage. Before blocking correction, MFE is 20-35%. However, after correction, MFE decreases to 7-10%.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

This study analyzed and compared development mechanisms leading to heat waves of 2016 and 2018 in Korea. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Interim (ERA Interim) dataset and Automated Surface Observing System data are used for synoptic scale analysis. The synoptic conditions are investigated using geopotential height, temperature, equivalent potential temperature, thickness, potential vorticity, omega, outgoing longwave radiation, and blocking index, etc. Heat waves in South Korea occur in relation to Western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH) pressure system which moves northwestward to East Asia during summer season. Especially in 2018, WNPSH intensified due to strong large-scale circulation associated with convective activities in the Philippine Sea, and moved farther north to Korea when compared to 2016. In addition, the Tibetan high near the tropopause settled over Northern China on top of WNPSH creating a very strong anticyclonic structure in the upper-level over the Korean Peninsula. Unlike 2018, WNPSH was weaker and centered over the East China Sea in 2016. Analysis of blocking indices show wide blocking phenomena over the North Pacific and the Eurasian continent during heat wave event in both years. The strong upper-level ridge which was positioned zonally near 60°N, made the WNPSH over the South Korea stagnant in both years. Analysis of heat wave intensity (HWI) and duration (HWD) show that HWI and HWD in 2018 was both strong leading to extreme high temperatures. In 2016 however, HWI was relatively weak compared to HWD. The longevity of HWD is attributed to atmosphere blocking in the surrounding Eurasian continent.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.374-387
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• 2007

We examined the characteristics of atmospheric circulation over East Asia to find the causes of the unusual warm winter 2006/2007 in Korea. During that time, the anomalous atmospheric conditions are characterized by the weakening of the Siberian High and the Aleutian Low, the enhancement of low-level south easterlies near Korea, and the weakening of upper-level jet to the south of Japan. These patterns are considerably associated with the atmospheric condition of non-blocking year over the Siberia (60-140E). In addition, both El $Ni\widetilde{n}o$ and Arctic Oscillation (AO) are likely to induce those patterns. Therefore, it is suggested that the anomalous atmospheric states related to non-blocking flow, El $Ni\widetilde{n}o$, and the positive phase of AO are responsible for the warmest winter season in 2006/2007 for the period of 1958/1959-2006/2007.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.77-90
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• 2022

Despite the decreasing trend of anthropogenic emissions in East Asia in recent years, haze days still frequently occur in spring. Atmospheric blocking, which occurs frequently in the northeastern Pacific, leads to persistent changes in large-scale circulation and blocks westerly flow in the East Asian region. During March 2019, frequent warm and stagnant synoptic meteorological conditions over East Asia were accompanied 6-7 days later by the Alaskan atmospheric blocking. The Alaskan atmospheric blocking over the period of March 18-24, 2019 led to high particulate matter (PM₁₀) severe haze days exceeding a daily average of 50 ㎍ m^-3 over the period of March 25-28, 2019 in South Korea. Although the high-PM₁₀ severe haze days were caused by warm and stagnant meteorological conditions, the regional contribution of anthropogenic emissions in eastern China was calculated to be 30-40% using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). The major regional contributions of PM₁₀ aerosols in the period of high-PM₁₀ severe haze days were as follows: nitrates, 20-25%; sulphates, 10-15%; ammonium, 5-10%; and other inorganics, 15-20%. Ammonium nitrate generated via gas-to-aerosol conversion in a warm and stagnant atmosphere largely contributed to the regional transport of PM₁₀ aerosols in the high-PM₁₀ severe haze days in South Korea.

• Atmosphere
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.231-240
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• 2007

The flow regimes of continuously stratified flow over a double mountain and the effects of a double mountain on wave breaking, upstream blocking, and severe downslope windstorms are investigated using a mesoscale numerical model (ARPS). According to the occurrence or non-occurrence of wave breaking and upstream blocking, three different flow regimes are identified over a double mountain. Higher critical Froude numbers are required for wave breaking and upstream blocking initiation for a double mountain than for an isolated mountain. This means that the nonlinearity and blocking effect for a double mountain is larger than that for an isolated mountain. As the separation distance between two mountains decreases, the degree of flow nonlinearity increases, while the blocking effect decreases. A rapid increase of the surface horizontal velocity downwind of each mountain near the critical mountain height for wave breaking initiation indicates that severe downslope windstorms are enhanced by wave breaking. For the flow with wave breaking, the numerically calculated surface drag is much larger than theoretically calculated one because the region with the maximum negative perturbation pressure moves from the top to the downwind slope of each mountain as the internal jump propagating downwind occurs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.199-200
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• 2007

본 논문에서는 $SiO_2$ Gate 유전체를 대체할 재료의 하나인 $TiO_2$, Gate 유전체의 기판 증착 온도에 따른 특성을 알아보고자 한다. 디바이스의 고집적화가 높아짐에 따라 얇은 두께의 Gate 유전체의 절대적인 필요에 따라 두께를 최소화하면서 유전율은 높아 전기적 특성이 우수한 소재를 찾게 되었다. 본 논문의 실험에서는 비휘발성 메모리 소자 제작시 Gate Blocking Layer 적용을 위해 High-k 물질인 $TiO_2$, 박막 증착 실험을 하였고, APCVD 방법을 사용하여 성장하였다. 증착 온도에 따른 I-V 특성을 분석하고 그에 따른 소자의 물리적 구조를 SEM을 통해 확인하면서 소자 제작시 최적의 온도를 찾고자 하였다.

• Atmosphere
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.207-221
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• 2022

In Jeju, on January 23, 2016, a cold surge accompanied by heavy snowfall with the most significant amount of 12 cm was the highest record in 32 years. During this period, the temperature of 850 hPa in January was the lowest in 2016. Notably, in 2016, the average surface temperature of January on the Polar cap was the highest since 1991, and 500 hPa geopotential height also showed the highest value. With this condition, the polar vortex in the northern hemisphere meandered and expanded into the subtropics regionally, covering the Korean Peninsula with very high potential vorticity up to 7 Potential Vorticity Unit. As a result, the strong cold advection, mostly driven by a northerly wind, around the Korean Peninsula occurred at over 2𝜎. Previous studies have not addressed this extreme synoptic condition linked to polar vortex expansion due to the unprecedented Arctic warming. We suggest that the occurrence of a strong Ural blocking event after the abrupt warming of the Barents/Karas seas is a major cause of unusually strong cold advection. With a specified mesoscale model simulation with SST (Sea Surface Temperature), we also show that the warmer SST condition near the Korean Peninsula contributed to the heavy snowfall event on Jeju Island.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2014

The "Barents Oscillation (BO)", first designated by Paul Skeie (2000), is an anomalous recurring atmospheric circulation pattern of high relevance for the climate of the Nordic Seas and Siberia, which is defined as the second Emperical Orthogonal Function (EOF) of monthly winter sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies, where the leading EOF is the Arctic Oscillation (AO). BO, however, did not attracted much interest. In recent two decades, variability of BO tends to increase. In this study, we analyzed the spatio-temporal structures of Atmospheric internal modes such as Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Barents Oscillation (BO) and examined how these are related with Arctic warming in recent decade. We identified various aspects of BO, not dealt in Skeie (2000), such as upper-level circulation and surface characteristics for extended period including recent decade and examined link with other surface variables such as sea-ice and sea surface temperature. From the results, it was shown that the BO showed more regionally confined spatial pattern compared to AO and has intensified during recent decade. The regional dipolelar structure centered at Barents sea and Siberia was revealed in both sea-level pressure and 500 hPa geopotential height. Also, BO showed a stronger link (correlation) with sea-ice and sea surface temperature especially over Barents-Kara seas suggesting it is playing an important role for recent Arctic amplification. BO also showed high correlation with Ural Blocking Index (UBI), which measures seasonal activity of Ural blocking. Since Ural blocking is known as a major component of Eurasian winter monsoon and can be linked to extreme weathers, we suggest deeper understanding of BO can provide a missing link between recent Arctic amplification and increase in extreme weathers in midlatitude in recent decades.

• 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.