First retrieval of data regarding spatial distribution of Asian dust aerosol from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager

Aerosol optical thickness (AOT) was retrieved from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) on board the Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) for the first time. AOT values were retrieved over the ocean at a spatial scale of 0.5 × 0.5 km² by using the look-up table (LUT)-based separation technique. The radiative transfer model (RTM) was used for different models of atmosphere-ocean environmental conditions, taking into account the realistic variability of scattering and absorption. Ocean surface properties affected by whitecaps and pigment content were also taken into account. The results show that the radiance observed by the GOCI amounts to only 5% of the radiation that penetrated the ocean and, consequently, 95% of the radiation is scattered in the atmosphere or reflected at the ocean surface in the visible wavelengths longer than 0.6 ìm. Within these wavelengths, radiance variations at the top of atmosphere (TOA) due to pigment variations are within 10%, while the radiance variation due to wind speed is considerably higher. For verification of GOCI-retrieved AOTs, comparison between GOCI and ground-based sunphotometer measurement at Gosan, Korea (126.10°E, 33.23°N)) showed good correlation (r = 0.99). The GOCI observations obtained by using the proposed technique showed promising results for the daily monitoring of atmospheric aerosol loading as well as being useful for environmental supervisory authorities.     

Impact of multiple satellite ocean color samplings in a day on assessing phytoplankton dynamics

Ocean-color imagers on conventional polar-orbiting satellites have a revisit time of ??2 days for most regions, which is further reduced if the area is frequently cloudy. The Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), the first ocean-color imager on a geostationary satellite, provides measurements 8 times a day, thus significantly improving the frequency of measurements for studies of ocean environments. Here, we use results derived from GOCI measurements over Taihu Lake to demonstrate that the extra sampling can be used to improve the accuracy of statistically averaged longer-term (daily) measurements. Additionally, using numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the coupling of diurnal variations of both biomass and photosynthetic available radiation can improve the accuracy of daily primary production estimates. These results echo that higher sampling frequency can improve our estimates of longer-term dynamics of biogeochemical processes and highlights the value of ocean color measurements from geostationary satellites.     

Estimation of non-CO2 GHGs emissions by analyzing burn severity in the Samcheok fire, South Korea

This study was performed to estimate the emission of non-CO 2 greenhouse gases(GHGs) from biomass burning at a large fire area.The extended methodology adopted the IPCC Guidelines(2003) equation for use on data from the Samcheok forest fire gathered using 30 m resolution Landsat TM satellite imagery,digital forest type maps,and growing stock information per hectare by forest type in 1999.Normalized burn ratio(NBR) technique was employed to analyze the area and severity of the Samcheok forest fire that occurred in 2000.The differences between NBR from pre-and post-fire datasets are examined to determine the extent and degree of change detected from burning.The results of burn severity analysis by dNBR of the Samcheok forest fire area revealed that a total of 16,200 ha of forest were burned.The proportion of the area characterized by a ’Low’ burn severity(dNBR below 152) was 35%,with ’Moderate’(dNBR 153-190) and ’High’(dNBR 191-255) areas were at 33% and 32%,respectively.The combustion efficiency for burn severity was calculated as 0.43 for crown fire where burn severity was ’High’,as 0.40 for ’Moderate’ severity,and 0.15 for ’Low’ severity surface fire.The emission factors for estimating non-CO 2 GHGs were separately applied to CO 130,CH 4 9,NO x 0.7 and N 2 O 0.11.Non-CO 2 GHGs emissions from biomass burning in the Samcheok forest fire area were estimated to be CO 44.100,CH 4 3.053,NO x 0.238 and N 2 O 0.038 Gg.     

Electrokinetic Removal of Petroleum Hydrocarbon from Residual Clayey Soil Following a Washing Process

This study investigates total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal from residual clayey soil, after a washing procedure, using an electrokinetic process. Eight electrokinetic experiments were carried out to investigate the characteristics of TPH removal. When 0.1 M MgSO₄ or 0.1 M NaOH was used as an electrolyte, the electric current rapidly increased within the first 100 or 200 h, respectively. A negatively charged soil surface resulted in a more negative zeta potential and greater electroosmotic flow toward the cathode. Therefore, the accumulated electroosmotic flow (EOF) when using 0.1 M NaOH as the anolyte‐purging solution was higher than when using 0.1 M MgSO₄. Although the energy consumption for the two purging solutions was similar, the efficiencies of TPH removal when 0.1 M MgSO₄ and 0.1 M NaOH with surfactant were used were 0 and 39%, respectively, because the electroosmotic flow rate increased with TPH removal efficiency. When 5% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was used as a circulation solution, the electric current increased but the TPH removal was similar to that using water. In terms of energy consumption, the use of a surfactant‐enhanced electrokinetic process with NaOH as electrolyte was effective in removing TPHs from low‐permeability soil.     

Glacier recession and human vulnerability in the Yanamarey watershed of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Glaciers in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, are undergoing rapid retreat, in large part due to climate change. These changes are significantly altering water availability in the region and pose critical risks to local populations that are highly dependent on these resources for livelihoods. We examine these issues through an interdisciplinary and linked evaluation of hydrological change and livelihood vulnerability in the Yanamarey watershed. Physical observations of the Yanamarey glacier show acceleration in frontal retreat at a rate of 8 m decade^???1 since 1970, accompanied by total volume loss on the order of 0.022 km³. Hydrological and hydrochemical analyses document a possible transformation of stream flow over the past decade as the seasonal storage capacity of the glacier has degraded. Recent stream discharge measurements from the proglacial lake below the glacier are more coincident with the highly variable seasonal precipitation than they were during the 1998?C1999 hydrological year. Local household perceptions of glacier recession and seasonal hydrological variability agree with this trend, which is increasing human vulnerability in the watershed. Household case-study survey results demonstrate that shifting water resources, increasing weather extremes and climate-related threats to tourism are all new vectors of vulnerability for household livelihoods.     

How predictable is the northern hemisphere summer upper-tropospheric circulation?

The retrospective forecast skill of three coupled climate models (NCEP CFS, GFDL CM2.1, and CAWCR POAMA 1.5) and their multi-model ensemble (MME) is evaluated, focusing on the Northern Hemisphere (NH) summer upper-tropospheric circulation along with surface temperature and precipitation for the 25-year period of 1981–2005. The seasonal prediction skill for the NH 200-hPa geopotential height basically comes from the coupled models’ ability in predicting the first two empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes of interannual variability, because the models cannot replicate the residual higher modes. The first two leading EOF modes of the summer 200-hPa circulation account for about 84% (35.4%) of the total variability over the NH tropics (extratropics) and offer a hint of realizable potential predictability. The MME is able to predict both spatial and temporal characteristics of the first EOF mode (EOF1) even at a 5-month lead (January initial condition) with a pattern correlation coefficient (PCC) skill of 0.96 and a temporal correlation coefficient (TCC) skill of 0.62. This long-lead predictability of the EOF1 comes mainly from the prolonged impacts of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) as the EOF1 tends to occur during the summer after the mature phase of ENSO. The second EOF mode (EOF2), on the other hand, is related to the developing ENSO and also the interdecadal variability of the sea surface temperature over the North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocean. The MME also captures the EOF2 at a 5-month lead with a PCC skill of 0.87 and a TCC skill of 0.67, but these skills are mainly obtained from the zonally symmetric component of the EOF2, not the prominent wavelike structure, the so-called circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) pattern. In both observation and the 1-month lead MME prediction, the first two leading modes are accompanied by significant rainfall and surface air temperature anomalies in the continental regions of the NH extratropics. The MME’s success in predicting the EOF1 (EOF2) is likely to lead to a better prediction of JJA precipitation anomalies over East Asia and the North Pacific (central and southern Europe and western North America).     

Test method of cavitation erosion for marine coatings with low hardness

Rudders of large container ships are easily affected by cavitation, which is well known to be induced by significant axial flows behind a propeller and discontinuities in the rudder. Among several methods to prevent or reduce the cavitation erosion occurred in the rudder, painting is gaining a lot of attention because it can be employed easily and cheaply. To conduct erosion tests properly, the simulation of heavily erosive cavitation is necessary. This can be generated using an inclined propeller dynamometer in the medium-size cavitation tunnel of MOERI (Maritime & Ocean Engineering Research Institute). The inclined shaft of the propeller creates strong cavitation, which occurs around the root of the propeller blade. This cavitation creates impacts through the collapsing process that are very severe, and are useful for realistic and efficient cavitation erosion tests. In the present study, the newly developed cavitation erosion test method is successfully employed to evaluate marine coatings that is mainly composed of epoxy elastomer or silicone polymer material. Silicone polymer-type paint B was found to have three times larger endurance than epoxy elastomer-type paint A.     

Evidence for significant clockwise rotations of the Korean Peninsula during Cretaceous

In an effort to evaluate the Cretaceous magnetostratigraphy for the Korean Peninsula and to establish the tectonic coherence of its various elements, we collected paleomagnetic data from 121 samples from 20 sites within the Chilgok Formation (108.3–109.9 Ma) in the Gyeongsang Basin. Together with previously published data, we evaluate the results from a total of 163 sites in the basin.We combine our age model with results from recent stratigraphic, paleomagnetic and radiometric geochemical studies. In this study, we found that two distinct declination shifts decrease with younging direction, indicating two clockwise rotational events of the Korean Peninsula with respect to the Eurasia continent. The earlier event took place during 130–100 Ma (Phase I, newly termed “Goguryeo Disturbance”) and a later one during 80–50 Ma (Phase III, belonging to “Bulguksa Orogeny”). The mean rotation rate in the interval from 115.2 to 103.8 Ma (Phase I) is about 0.74°/Ma, while the rate from 90.9 to 79.8 Ma (Phase II) is 0.19°/Ma. Based on paleolatitude change during Phase I, we infer that the Korean Peninsula (eastern part of the Sino-Korea Block) migrated southward about 300 km after the complete amalgamation of the Sino-Korea Block into the Eurasian continent resulting in N–S compression within the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Large-scale strike-slip faults (e.g., Tan-Lu Fault, Okcheon Boundary Fault) were probably rejuvenated in the Sino-Korea Block during Phase I.