TCAR - Typhoon Committee

Advanced Objective Dvorak Technique (AODT),
which is based on satellite observations (Dvorak
Technique) from SSEC/UW-Madison (Space
Science Engineering Center/University of
Wisconsin-Madison). KMA’s typhoon analysis
system has been in operation using AODT and
producing statistical results. However, AODT is
difficult to directly apply to the Northwest Pacific
region, as it was initially developed mainly for
hurricanes in the Atlantic.
KMA developed a user-friendly web-based
SATellite Image analysis System (SATIS) in
2006, recently adding new functions that make
it possible to search and download past typhoon
analysis data from the database. SATIS is easier
to use for analyzing tropical cyclones, especially
for detecting similarities in the database. Once
a typhoon name and its year are chosen, the
search results can be saved in the user directory
as text files. Fig. 34 illustrates a full search list
of similar tropical cyclones from SATIS, which
includes eye position, intensity (CI index), eye
temperature, scene type, and radius maximum
wind (RMW) along with image data.
Fig. 34. Full search results of past data on tropical cyclones from SATIS
Expansion and Improvement of KMA’s Upperair
Observation Network
Since 2003, KMA has been developing the KMA
wind profiler network (KWPN), which comprises
ten wind profilers, to improve the temporal and
spatial resolution of its upper-air observation
network. Beginning with Munsan and Gangneung
in 2003, wind profilers were installed in Gunsan
in 2004 and Masan in 2005. In 2007, five
additional wind profilers were installed in Uljin,
TCAR
CHAPTER 1 - TYPHOON COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Chupungnyeong, Wonju, Cheolwon, and the Base
Station of Oceanic-Meteorological Observation
75km off the west coast of Korea, thus completing
the KWPN.
KMA currently operates ten wind profilers
including one installed in Haenam by its research
arm NIMR (National Institute of Meteorological
Research). The horizontal resolution of the
upper-air observation network in Korea has
dramatically improved as a result, from 128 km in
2002 to 74 km in 2007.
Wind data up to 5 km are collected every 10
minutes through the KWPN and are subsequently
assimilated in the operational regional numerical
model following an automated quality control
process. These data help improve the accuracy
of heavy rain, heavy snow and typhoon track
predictions. Nine microwave radiometers were
also installed at the wind profiler sites in 2009
to collect information on a variety of upper-air
elements such as wind, temperature, humidity,
and liquid water content. KMA plans to further
integrate its upper-air observation network to
include a GPS observation network in addition
to the existing wind profilers and microwave
radars.
2009
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