• Atmosphere
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.41-54
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• 2004

In this study, a brief overview on a WMO/WWRP program - The Observing System Research and Predictability Experiment (THORPEX) and discussions on perspectives and potential benefits of Asian countries are provided. THORPEX is aimed at accelerating improvements in the accuracy of 1 to 14-day high-impact weather forecasts with research objectives of: 1) predictability and dynamical processes; 2) observing systems; 3) data assimilation and observing strategies; and 4) societal and economic applications. Direct benefits of Asian countries from THORPEX include improvement of: 1) forecast skills in global models, which exerts positive impact on mesoscale forecasts; 2) typhoon forecasts through dropwindsonde observations; and 3) forecast skills for high-impact weather systems via increased observations in neighboring countries. Various indirect benefits for scientific researches are also discussed. Extensive adaptive observation studies are recommended for all high-impact weather systems coming into the Korean peninsula, and enhancement of observations in the highly sensitive regions for the forecast error growth is required to improve forecast skills in the peninsula, possibly through international collaborations with neighboring countries.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2005

Currently several important observation programs are planned or being performed both domestically and internationally. In this paper, a brief introduction is provided on international programs such as THORPEX, ARGO and GEOSS as well as a domestic program KEOP. In addition, discussions on various issues related to observations and future visions are provided.

• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2008

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.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.287-298
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• 2012

The predictability of heavy precipitation over the Korean Peninsula is studied using THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) data. The performance of the six ensemble models is compared through the inconsistency (or jumpiness) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for MSLP, T850 and H500. Grand Ensemble (GE) of the three best ensemble models (ECMWF, UKMO and CMA) with equal weight and without bias correction is consisted. The jumpiness calculated in this study indicates that the GE is more consistent than each single ensemble model. Brier Score (BS) of precipitation also shows that the GE outperforms. The GE is used for a case study of a heavy rainfall event in Korean Peninsula on 9 July 2009. The probability forecast of precipitation using 90 members of the GE and the percentage of 90 members exceeding 90 percentile in climatological Probability Density Function (PDF) of observed precipitation are calculated. As the GE is excellent in possibility of potential detection of heavy rainfall, GE is more skillful than the single ensemble model and can lead to a heavy rainfall warning in medium-range. If the performance of each single ensemble model is also improved, GE can provide better performance.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2014

This study compared ensemble mean and probability forecasts of snow depth amount associated with winter storm over South Korea on 28 December 2012 at five operational forecast centers (CMA, ECMWF, NCEP, KMA, and UMKO). And cause of difference in predicted snow depth at each Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) was investigated by using THe Observing system Research and Predictability EXperiment (THORPEX) Interactive Grand Global Ensemble (TIGGE) data. This snowfall event occurred due to low pressure passing through South Sea of Korea. Amount of 6 hr accumulated snow depth was more than 10 cm over southern region of South Korea In this case study, ECMWF showed best prediction skill for the spatio-temporal distribution of snow depth. At first, ECMWF EPS has been consistently enhancing the indications present in ensemble mean snow depth forecasts from 7-day lead time. Secondly, its ensemble probabilities in excess of 2~5 cm/6 hour have been coincided with observation frequencies. And this snowfall case could be predicted from 5-day lead time by using 10-day lag ensemble mean 6 hr accumulated snow depth distribution. In addition, the cause of good performances at ECMWF EPS in predicted snow depth amounts was due to outstanding prediction ability of forming inversion layer with below $0^{\circ}C$ temperature in low level (below 850 hPa) according to $35^{\circ}N$ at 1-day lead time.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

Developing reliable soil moisture prediction techniques at agricultural regions is a pivotal issue for sustaining stable crop productions. In this study, a physically-based SWAP(Soil-Water-Atmosphere-Plant) model was suggested to estimate soil moisture dynamics at the study sites. ROSETTA was also integrated to derive the soil hydraulic properties(${\alpha}$, n, ${\Theta}_r$, ${\Theta}_s$, $K_s$) as the input variables to SWAP based on the soil information(Sand, Silt and Clay-SSC, %). In order to predict the soil moisture dynamics in future, the mid-term TIGGIE(THORPEX Interactive Grand Global Ensemble) and long-term S2S(Subseasonal to Seasonal) weather forecasts were used, respectively. Our proposed approach was tested at the six study sites of RDA(Rural Development Administration). The estimated soil moisture values based on the SWAP model matched the measured data with the statistics of Root Mean Square Error(RMSE: 0.034~0.069) and Temporal Correlation Coefficient(TCC: 0.735~0.869) for validation. When we predicted the mid-/long-term soil moisture values using the TIGGE(0~15 days)/S2S(16~46 days) weather forecasts, the soil moisture estimates showed less variations during the TIGGE period while uncertainties were increased for the S2S period. Although uncertainties were relatively increased based on the increased leading time of S2S compared to those of TIGGE, these results supported the potential use of TIGGE/S2S forecasts in evaluating agricultural drought. Our proposed approach can be useful for efficient water resources management plans in hydrology, agriculture, etc.