Observation data measured at Ieodo Ocean Research Station (IORS) have been utilized in oceanographic and atmospheric studies since 2003. Sea level data observed at the IORS have not been paid attention as compared with many other variables such as aerosol, radiation, turbulent flux, wind, wave, fog, temperature, and salinity. Total sea level rises at the IORS (5.6 mm yr−1 ) from both satellite and tide-gauge observations were higher than those in the northeast Asian marginal seas (5.4 mm yr−1 ) and the world (4.6 mm yr−1 ) from satellite observation from 2009 to 2018. The rates of thermosteric, halosteric, and steric sea level rises were 2.7-4.8, −0.7-2.6, 2.3-7.4 mm yr−1 from four different calculating methods using observations. The rising rate of the steric sea level was higher than that of the total sea level in the case with additional data quality control. Calculating the non-steric sea level was not found to yield meaningful results, despite the ability to calculate non-steric sea level by simply subtracting the steric sea level from total sea level. This uncertainty did not arise from the data analysis but from a lack of good data, even though tide, temperature, and salinity data were quality controlled two times by Korea Hydrographic and Oceanography Agency. The status of the IORS data suggests that the maintenance management of observation systems, equipment, and data quality control should be improved to facilitate data use from the IORS.
Tropical cyclone scale vortices and associated Rossby waves were investigated numerically using high-resolution barotropic models on the global domain. The equations of the barotropic model were discretized using the spectral transform method with the spherical harmonics function as orthogonal basis. The initial condition of the vortex was specified as an axisymmetric flow in the gradient wind balance, and four types of basic zonal states were employed. Vortex tracks showed similar patterns as those on the beta-plane but exhibited more eastward displacement as they moved northward. The zonal-mean flow appeared to control not only the west-east translation but also the meridional translation of the vortex. Such a meridional influence was revealed to be associated with the beta gyre and the Rossby wave, which are formed around the vortex due to the beta effect. In the case of the basic zonal state of climatological mean, the meridional translation speed reached the maximum value when the vortex underwent recurving.
The accuracy of satellite-observed sea surface salinity (SSS) was evaluated in comparison with in-situ salinity measurements from ARGO floats and buoys in the seas around the Korean Peninsula, the northwest Pacific, and the global ocean. Differences in satellite SSS and in-situ measurements (SSS errors) indicated characteristic dependences on geolocation, sea surface temperature (SST), and other oceanic and atmospheric conditions. Overall, the root-mean-square (rms) errors of non-averaged SMOS SSSs ranged from approximately 0.8-1.08 psu for each in-situ salinity dataset consisting of ARGO measurements and non-ARGO data from CTD and buoy measurements in both local seas and the ocean. All SMOS SSSs exhibited characteristic negative bias errors at a range of −0.50- −0.10 psu in the global ocean and the northwest Pacific, respectively. Both rms and bias errors increased to 1.07 psu and −0.17 psu, respectively, in the East Sea. An analysis of the SSS errors indicated dependence on the latitude, SST, and wind speed. The differences of SMOS-derived SSSs from in-situ salinity data tended to be amplified at high latitudes (40-60°N) and high sea water salinity. Wind speeds contributed to the underestimation of SMOS salinity with negative bias compared with in-situ salinity measurements. Continuous and extensive validation of satellite-observed salinity in the local seas around Korea should be further investigated for proper use.
LA-MC-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating was conducted to constrain the timing of fossil formation and the depositional age of the uppermost Jinju Formation located in Natural Monument No. 534 (Tracksite of Pterosaurs, Birds, and Dinosaurs in Hotandong, Jinju), and 87 Cretaceous, 1 Precambrian, and 2 Jurassic zircons were obtained from 90 valid analytical points. Most Cretaceous zircons were found to have a youngest graphical peak age of ca. 106.5 Ma, suggesting the depositional age of the uppermost Jinju Formation. Based on this study and previous works, the average sedimentation rate of the Jinju Formation was calculated to be approximately 0.17-0.31 mm/year in the Milyang Subbasin, and the Cretaceous zircons of the uppermost Jinju Formation seem to have originated mainly from the western or northwestern parts of the Gyeonggi Massif. Unlike the Nakdong and Hasandong formations of the Sindong Group, most zircons analyzed in the uppermost Jinju Formation were Cretaceous. This suggests that volcanic activity occurred in the area closer to the Gyeongsang Basin due to the roll-back of subducting paleo-Pacific Plates during the Jinju period.
When a radial collector well is installed and operated for agricultural purposes, negative impacts may be observed over time due to the clogging of horizontal arms, such as reduced groundwater discharge and water quality deterioration. When radial collector well No. 2 was rehabilitated using the high-pressure impulse generation technique, the specific capacity and transmissivity were increased by 43.1 and 100.6%, respectively. In contrast, according to air surging, the specific capacity and transmissivity increased by 33.8 and 85.8%, respectively, compared to the initial rate before rehabilitation. During the operation of radial collector wells since construction, the time of well rehabilitation can be effectively determined by continuously monitoring the groundwater level and pumping rate of the radial collector wells, thereby preventing a decrease in productivity.
This study identified and examined earth science education department programs in Korea. Major courses provided by 11 universities and their course requirements were analyzed, and the main research results are as follows. First, many basic courses, other major requisite, and elective courses are provided in geology, astronomy, and atmospheric science. oceanography, geophysics, earth environmental science, and natural disaster and energy resources had fewer major requisite courses provided in addition to basic courses, and few elective courses were offered. Second, many courses in science education focused on earth science, while others focused on general science and there were few courses that covered education theory regarding the specific subject. Third, science course application requirements emphasized the understanding of science in general or of earth science specifically. From the above results, additional studies are proposed to reflect on the current state and supplement these programs.
In this study, we analyzed the development of high school students’ argumentation through their writings on socio-scientific Issues (SSI) related to the Climate Change Unit in the Earth Science I curriculum. Pre- and post-writing assignments on the two main causes of global warming were analyzed and compared. In addition, an in-depth interview of the focus group was conducted with 7 students who showed a distinct change in the level of argumentation. According to the results, 16 of 52 students remained at the same argumentation level in pre- and post-writing assignments, and students remaining at Level 2 among five levels had difficulty in understanding the Toulmin’s argument pattern (TAP) structure. Using the TAP structure, 29 of 52 students demonstrated increased argumentation levels in the post-writing assignments. The conclusions include that writing lessons on SSI using the TAP in Earth science classes can improve the level of high school students’ argumentative writing, and that the level of students’ argumentation can develop with the elaboration of their level of falsification. Also, it is suggested that the science curriculum should increase students' science writing competencies by specifying science writing as one of the goals.
The purpose of this study was to explore if, what kinds of, how much computational thinking (CT after this) practices could be included in STEAM programs, and what kinds of CT practices could be improved to make STEAM revitalized. The CT analyzing tool with operational definitions and its examples in science education was modified and employed for 5 science-focused and 5 engineering-focused STEAM programs. There was no discerning pattern of CT practices uses between science and engineering STEAM programs but CT practices were displayed depending on their topics. The patterns of CT practices uses from each STEAM program could be used to describe what CT practices were more explored, weakly exposed, or missing. On the basis of these prescription of CT practices from each STEAM program, the researchers could develop the weakly exposed or missing CT practices to be improved for the rich experience in CT practices during STEAM programs.