The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (VPRM) were coupled to simulate atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The performance of the WRF-VPRM to simulate regional scale CO2 concentration was estimated over coastal basin areas. Either Hestia 2011(HST) or Vulcan 2002(VUL) anthropogenic CO2 emission data were used in two numerical experiments for the study regions. Simulated meteorological variables were validated with ground and background CO2 measurement data, and the results show that the model captured temporal variations of CO2 concentration on a daily basis. CO2 directional analysis revealed that the dominant CO2 emission sources are located S and SW. The simulated Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) agreed relatively well with measured CO2 fluxes at each vegetation class site, showing approximately 40% at max improvement at shrub areas.

Since the late 20th century, the urbanization in Korea has been rapidly increasing, especially in major cities like Seoul, as a result of industrialization. One of the aspects of urbanization is coating the surfaces with impervious concrete or asphalt that water cannot penetrate. In addition, various urban, such as urban heat islands, which also have a great impact on the urban environment, occur within the cities. Therefore, the urban environment is gradually becoming hot and dry, and the need for more urban parks to compensate for these negative impacts is growing. Thus, several numerical studies have been conducted to assess these problems using coupled Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). In this study, an experiment was conducted to determine the accuracy of the area of the input field using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, and applying the more accurate input field to a numerical simulation using ENVI-met, in order to investigate the effect of urban parks on the thermal comfort. The results showed that an input field with a larger area is more accurate than that with a smaller area, because the surrounding terrain and cities are considered in details in the experiment with the larger area. Subsequently, the more accurate input field was used in ENVI-met, and the results of this simulation showed that the presence of the urban park increased the thermal comfort and improved the humidity conditions.

Sensitivity analysis of the WRF model according to the impact of nudging (e.g., nudging techniques and application domains) was conducted during high nocturnal ozone episode to improve the prediction of the regional ozone concentration in the southeastern coastal area of the Korean peninsula. The analysis was performed by six simulation experiments: (1) without nudging (e.g., CNTL case), (2) with observation nudging (ONE case) to all domains (domain 1∼4), (3) with grid nudging (GNE case) to all domains, (4)∼(6) with grid nudging to domain 1, domain 1∼2 and domain 1∼3, respectively (GNE-1, GNE-2, GNE-3 case). The results for nudging techniques showed that the GNE case was in very good agreement with those observed during all analysis periods (e.g., daytime, nighttime, and total), as compared to the ONE case. In particular, the large effect of grid nudging on the near-surface meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, and wind fields) was predicted at the coastline and nearby sea during daytime. The results for application domains showed that the effects of nudging were distinguished between the meteorological factors and between the time periods. When applied grid nudging until subdomain, the improvement effects of temperature and relative humidity had differential tendencies. Temperature was increased for all time, but relative humidity was increased in daytime and was decreased in nighttime. Thus, GNE case showed better result than other cases.

In order to improve the prediction of the regional air quality modeling in the Seoul metropolitan area, a sensitivity analysis using two PBL and microphysics (MP) options of the WRF model was performed during four seasons. The results from four sets of the simulation experiments (EXPs) showed that meteorological variables (especially wind field) were highly sensitive to the choice of PBL options (YSU or MYJ) and no significant differences were found depending on MP options (WDM6 or Morrison) regardless of specific time periods, i.e. day and night, during four seasons. Consequently, the EXPs being composed of YSU PBL option were identified to produce better results for meteorological elements (especially wind field) regardless of seasons. On the other hand, the accuracy of all simulations for summer and winter was somewhat lower than those for spring and autumn and the effect according to physics options was highly volatile by geographical characteristics of the observation site.

The characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. 137Cs) related to local wind patterns around the Kori nuclear power plant (KNPP) were studied using WRF/HYSPLIT model. The cluster analysis using observed winds from 28 weather stations during a year (2012) was performed in order to obtain representative local wind patterns. The cluster analysis identified eight local wind patterns (P1, P2, P3, P4-1, P4-2, P4-3, P4-4, P4-5) over the KNPP region. P1, P2 and P3 accounted for 14.5%, 27.0% and 14.5%, respectively. Both P1 and P2 are related to westerly/northwesterly synoptic flows in winter and P3 includes the Changma or typhoons days. The simulations of P1, P2 and P3 with high wind velocities and constant wind directions show that 137Cs emitted from the KNPP during 0900~1400 LST (Local Standard Time) are dispersed to the east sea, southeast sea and southwestern inland, respectively. On the other hands, 5 sub-category of P4 have various local wind distributions under weak synoptic forcing and accounted for less than 10% of all. While the simulated 137Cs for P4-2 is dispersed to southwest inland due to northeasterly flows, 137Cs dispersed northward for the other patterns. The simulated average 137Cs concentrations of each local wind pattern are 564.1~1076.3 Bqm-3. The highest average concentration appeared P4-4 due to dispersion in a narrow zone and weak wind environment. On the other hands, the lowest average concentration appeared P1 and P2 due to rapid dispersion to the sea. The simulated 137Cs concentrations and dispersion locations of each local wind pattern are different according to the local wind conditions.

We investigate the amount of potential electricity energy generated by wind power in Busan metropolitan area, using the mesoscale meteorological model WRF (Weather Research & Forecasting), combined with small wind power generators. The WRF modeling has successfully simulated meteorological characteristics over the urban areas, and showed statistical significant to predict the amount of wind energy generation. The highest amount of wind power energy has been predicted at the coastal area, followed by at riverbank and upland, depending on predicted spatial distributions of wind speed. The electricity energy prediction method in this study is expected to be used for plans of wind farm constructions or the power supplies.

In this study, the characteristics in the simulation of high-resolution coastal weather, i.e. sea surface wind (SSW) and significant wave height (SWH), were studied in a southeastern coastal region of Korea using the WRF and SWAN models. This analyses was performed based on the effects of various input factors in the WRF and SWAN model during M-Case (moderate days with average 1.8 m SWH and 8.4 ms-1 SSW) and R-Case (rough days with average 3.4 m SWH and 13.0 ms-1 SSW) according to the strength of SSW and SWH. The effects of topography (TP), land cover (LC), and sea surface temperature (SST) for the simulation of SSW with the WRF model were somewhat high on v-component winds along the coastline and the adjacent sea of a more detailed grid simulation (333 m) during R-Case. The LC effect was apparent in all grid simulations during both cases regardless of the strength of SSW, whereas the TP effect had shown a difference (decrease or increase) of wind speed according to the strength of SSW (M-Case or R-Case). In addition, the effects of monthly mean currents (CR) and deepwater design waves (DW) for the simulation of SWH with the SWAN model predicted good agreement with observed SWH during R-Case compared to the M-Case. For example, the effects of CR and DW contributed to the increase of SWH during R-Case regardless of grid resolution, whereas the differences (decrease or increase) of SWH occurred according to each effect (CR or DW) during M-Case.

In this study, eight episode days of high-concentration PM10 occurrences in the Gimhae region between 2006 and 2011 were analyzed. Most of them appeared in winter and the highest concentration was observed around 12 LST. Furthermore, the wind direction, wind velocity, and temperature elements were compared with observed values to verify the WRF numerical simulation results used in this study, and they simulated well in accordance with the trend of the observed values. The wind was generally weak in the high-concentration episode days that were chosen through surface weather chart and the numerical simulation results for wind field, and the air pollutants were congested due to the effects of the resulting local winds, thereby causing a high concentration of air pollutants. Furthermore, the HYSPLIT model was performed with the WRF numerical simulation results as input data. As a result, they originated from China and flowed into Gimhae in all eight days, and the lowest concentration appeared on the days when recirculation occurred.

This study is conducted to estimate the air temperature decreasing effects by restoring urban streams using WRF/CALMET coupled system. The types of land use on covered streams are constructed with the land cover map from Korea ministry of environment. Restoring covered streams changes the types of land use on covered areas to water. Two different types of land use(CASE 1 and CASE 2) are inputted to the WRF/CALMET coupled system in order to calculate the temperature difference. The results of the WRF/CALMET coupled system are similar to the observed values at automatic weather stations(AWS) in Busan area. Restoring covered streams causes temperature to be decreased by about 0.34～2℃ according to the locations of streams and the regions that temperature is reduced are widely distributed over the restored area. Reduction of temperature is increased rapidly from morning and maximus at 13LST. Natural restoration of streams will reduce the built-up area within urban. With this, temperature reductions which are the cause to weaken the urban heat island appear. Relief of urban heat island will help to improve the air quality such as accumulation of air pollutants in within urban area.

This study calculated wind speed at the height of 10 m using a disaster prediction model(Florida Public Hurricane Loss Model, FPHLM) that was developed and used in the United States. Using its distributions, a usable information of surface wind was produced for the purpose of disaster prevention when the typhoon attack. The advanced research version of the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) was used in this study, and two domains focusing on South Korea were determined through two-way nesting. A horizontal time series and vertical profile analysis were carried out to examine whether the model provided a resonable simulation, and the meteorological factors, including potential temperature, generally showed the similar distribution with observational data. We determined through comparison of observations that data taken at 700 hPa and used as input data to calculate wind speed at the height of 10 m for the actual terrain was suitable for the simulation. Using these results, the wind speed at the height of 10 m for the actual terrain was calculated and its distributions were shown. Thus, a stronger wind occurred in coastal areas compared to inland areas showing that coastal areas are more vulnerable to strong winds.

Air pollution inventories are aggregated around south-eastern part of the Korean Peninsular including Busan, Ulsan, and Changwon cities. Because densely populated cities are concentrated in this region, air pollutants emitted from one of these cities tend to be impacted on the air quality of other cities. In order to clarify the seasonal movement pattern of emitted particles, several numerical simulations using WRF/FLEXPART were carried out. Four cases were selected for each season. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) reproduced atmospheric flow fields with nested grids. The seasonal pattern of air mass of study area was determined by backward and forward trajectories. As a result, the air parcel moves from northwest to southeast due to northwesterly winds in spring and winter. Also air parcel transports from south to north in summer, and moves from west to east. Because the air mass moves differently in each season, these characteristics should be considered when performing air quality analysis.

최근 계속되는 산업화와 도시화로 인해 많은 환경오염이 발생하고 있다. 특히, 대기 중 미세먼지(Particulate Matter, PM10)는 호흡 시 체내에 흡입되기 쉽고 큰 비표면적으로 인해 각종 유해성분을 많이 함유하고 있어 심장 및 폐기능 저하, 조기사망 등 인체뿐만 아니라 생태계까지 악영향을 초래할 가능성이 높은 오염물질로 알려져 있다. 따라서 국·내외적으로 PM10에 대한 연구가 활발하게 진행되어 왔으며, 주로 관측된 대기질 자료를 분석하거나 수치모델을 이용하였다. 본 연구에서는 2006년부터 2011년까지 연안 분지 지역인 김해지역을 대상으로 고농도 오염에 영향을 미치는 다양한 요인 중 고농도를 발생시키는 1차적인 요인이라고 할 수 있는 오염물질 양 이 외에 다른 부가적인 요인 중 중요한 요인으로 알려진 기상학적 요인에 의한 영향을 분석하고자 하였다. 김해지역으로 유입되는 PM10의 궤적을 살펴보기 위해 HYSPLIT 모델을 사용하였다. HYSPLIT 모델을 통한 군집 분석을 수행한 결과, 총 4개의 군집으로 분류되었으며, 대부분 중국으로부터 유입되는 수송 경로를 나타내었다. 본 연구에서는 김해지역의 일평균 PM10 농도가 전체의 95 분위수에 해당하는 80 ㎍/㎥ 이상인 날을 고농도 사례일로 정의하였으며, 사례일 선정 시, 황사, 연무, 박무와 같은 특이 기상일은 제외하였다. 그 결과, 연구대상기간 동안 고농도 사례일은 총 8일로 나타났다. 선정된 각 사례일의 WRF 수치모의 결과와 지상 일기도 분석을 통해 고농도 사례일은 전반적으로 바람이 약하게 나타났으며, 이로 인해 해륙풍, 산곡풍과 같은 국지순환계의 형성과 계절적 종관 기상장의 복합적인 작용으로 고농도가 유발된 것으로 판단하였다. 고농도 사례일을 대상으로 WRF/HYSPLIT 모델을 이용하여 역궤적 분석을 실시하였다. 선정된 고농도 사례일 8일은 모두 중국으로부터 발원하여 김해지역으로 유입되는 경로를 나타내었다. 특히, 재순환현상이 나타난 2008년 1월 10일의 경우, 고농도 사례일 중 가장 높은 농도를 보였는데, 이는 오염물질의 재순환과정이 연안 지역 오염물질의 농도를 상승시키는 주요 원인이라고 밝힌 여러 선행 연구의 결과와도 일치한다. 이처럼 중규모 기상장 수치모델과 역궤적 모델을 결합하여 분석해 본 결과, 김해지역과 같이 좁은 지역으로 유입되는 대기오염물질의 궤적과 이와 연관된 기상학적 특징을 상세히 살펴볼 수 있었다.