Introduction of the KMA/NIMS atmospheric research aircraft observations for 6 years and scientific missions.

The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) has operated atmospheric research aircraft since 2018. The KMA introduced Kingair 350HW that was modified for multiple purpose of atmospheric observations. After modification, 2 pilots, 2 instrument operators and 1 research scientist are on board. Usually duration a flight is about 4.5 hours. The KMA aircraft has 400-hour flight in a year in the purpose of four scientific missions: severe weather monitoring (SW), environmental monitoring (EM), climate change monitoring (CM), and cloud physics and weather modification (CP). For those missions, 27 instruments and devices are installed.

Unlikely usual aircraft observations that intensively carry out during specific period, the KMA aircraft has routine observation about 400 hours an every year. In addition, as long as without any risk of damage for instruments, all of those are turn-on during observation. This gives us a merit of integrated insights and comprehensive understandings. The KMA aircraft observations are only carried out in flight information restriction of South Korea. From 2018 to 2023, total flight time (frequency) of SW, EM, CM, and CP are 299(43.3%), 85(12.3%), 85(12.3%), and 130(18.9%), respectively.

SW is focusing on weather events such as heavy rainfall, snowfall and typhoon. Most of those events are populated during summer season. EM is related to a study on something like Asian dust, aerosols, particles and reactive gases. Aerosol events are usually concentrated on spring season. CM is interested in the variability of greenhouse gases and is carried out every month. Most CP activities are experiments of weather modification. Approximately 250 species of atmospheric variables are observed and estimated a single flight with full operation of instruments.