National Institute of Meteorological Research

Asian dust research lab. is responsible for the study Asian dust using observation data and numerical models to understand the mechanism of these phenomena and to improve the prediction accuracy.


	Observation of Asian dust source region

	Study on the improvement of Asian Dust Aerosol Model (ADAM)

	Analysis and prediction of Asian dust



	Hwangsa Monitoring and Prediction
	The first record of a dust phenomenon in Korea was found in the reign of the Silla Dynasty's King Ahdalla (174 A.D.). It was called ?Woo-To ( ?? )? At that time, the people believed that the god in the heaven became so angry that he lashed down dirt instead of rain or snow. This frightened the King and his subjects considerably whenever they observed a dust phenomenon. During the Joseon Dynasty, there was the following record inMarch 22, 1549. �Dust fell in Seoul. At Jeonju and Namwon in the Jeolla province, located in the southwestern part of Korea, there was fog that looked like smoke creeping into every corner in all directions. The tiles on the house roofs, grass on the fields, and leaves on the trees were entirely covered by yellow-brown and white dust. When the dust was swept, it wiped away like dirt, and when it was shaken it dispersed as well.This weather condition lasted for four days.?

	The Asian dust events were most frequently observed in spring time from February to May with the maximum peak on April. In the rainy period affected by sub-tropical North Pacific high pressure, dust events seldom observed from July to September. However, wintertime had dust events as unusual. More recorded events were found in Joseon Dynasty.


	The Asian dust days show that there was a peak in late 1930�s ~ early 1940�s, and increasing tendency in recent years. From 1910 until 1945, the recorded dust events were done by Japanese with some symbols ???(so called Hwangsa in Korean) and ??during the Japan Occupation Period. During the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, the records could not be done as well. In recent decades, the dust event has been recorded according to the WMO regulation by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).


	Dust Phenomena recorded in ancient Korean literatures

	- The source region of �Hwangsa?
	Hwangsa (Asian dust) that affects the Korean peninsula occurs most frequently in the spring season, and originates in the arid and semi-arid regions of sand deserts, including Badainjaran, Tengger, Mu Us, Hunsandakue, and Keoeolchin, Gobi region and Loess regions of the Asian continent. The origins of Hwangsa include most of Mongolia and northern China. The southeastward moving low-pressure system accompanied with the cold fronts disseminates the dust into the atmosphere, often resulting in the low visibility of less than 1 km.


	- Simulation of Hwangsa phenomenon in Korea
	First, observation with naked eyes for occurrence of Asian dust event and Monitoring PM10 concentration with Korea-China Hwangsa Monitoring Network are performed. Second, meteorological information through the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) with three hour-interval and satellite images obtained from MTSAT, NOAA, TERRA and SeaWiFs are used to check the location and intensity of Asian dust. Third, the Asian dust Aerosol Model (ADAM) results simulated in super computer (CRAY X1E) are provided to the KMA intranet, and used for Asian dust prediction Finally, PM10 concentration data of 23 sites and Lidar measurement at four sites are utilized for understanding the path and vertical distribution of Asian dust.