집중관측사업의 현황과 발전 방향

Current Status of Intensive Observing Period and Development Direction

Domestic IOP (intensive observing period) has mostly been represented by the KEOP (Korea Enhanced Observing Period), which started the 5-yr second phase in 2006 after the first phase (2001-2005). During the first phase, the KEOP had focused on special observations (e.g., frontal systems, typhoons, etc.) around the Haenam supersite, while extended observations have been attempted from the second phase, e.g., mountain and downstream meteorology in 2006 and heavy rainfall in the mid-central region and marine meteorology in 2007. So far the KEOP has collected some useful data for severe weather systems in Korea, which are very important in understanding the development mechanisms of disastrous weather systems moving into or developing in Korea. In the future, intensive observations should be made for all characteristic weather systems in Korea including the easterly in the central-eastern coastal areas, the orographically-developed systems around mountains, the heavy snowfall in the western coastal areas, the upstream/downstream effect around major mountain ranges, and the heavy rainfall in the mid-central region. Enhancing observations over the seas around the Korean Peninsula is utmost important to improve forecast accuracy on the weather systems moving into Korea through the seas. Observations of sand dust storm in the domestic and the source regions are also essential. Such various IOPs should serve as important components of international field campaign such as THORPEX (THe Observing system Research and Predictability EXperiment) through active international collaborations.