The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kang Do-hyung) announced that it will join a Korea-US, 20-day (June 20 to July 9, 2023) joint expedition to the Yellow Sea, where sea fog frequently occurs, in order to identify the causes and dissipation of sea fog, the most frequently occurring and hazardous naturally phenomena in the marine world.

Sea fog, which plagues the open ocean and coastlines, not only threatens the safe operation of ships but also hinders the control of ports and bridges. It is much more difficult to detect and predict than land fog because it quickly responds to many complex and ever-changing factors in the atmosphere and marine environment.

The Yellow Sea, which borders the western coastline of Korea, is known for the frequency of its sea fog, which often threatens the safety of ships and blocks access to nearby islands.

In order to study the fog and its unique characteristics, the KIOST is conducting a research project, called the Fatima Project,¹⁾ in cooperation with the University of Notre Dame in the United States. The research project is being backed by the Korean Rainfall Observation Program²⁾ and is being promoted by the National Institute of Meteorological Sciences (NIMS) and Kyungpook National University.

1) Chief of Research: Dr. Seok Lee, KIOST, and Prof. Harindra J. S. Fernando, University of Notre Dame

2) Chief of Research: Professor Gyuwon Lee, Kyungpook National University

The joint Korea-US research team plans to study the relationship between fog and turbulence by measuring underwater, marine, and atmospheric conditions over the course of the fog’s formation and dissipation throughout the month of June, the month in which sea fog occurs the most frequently.

The project will be conducted aboard the KIOST's oceanographic research ship, the Onnuri, using various equipment, such as CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth)³⁾ devices and an ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler)⁴⁾, which can precisely measure oceanic and atmospheric conditions.

3) Equipment to measure salinity, water temperature, and depth

4) Equipment to observe the speed and direction of ocean currents by water layer

Data will also be collected through the Chollian Satellite 2B (GOCI-II)⁵⁾ and the Korea Ocean Research Stations (Ieodo, Gageocho, and Socheongcho). Surveys will be simultaneously conducted using the Korea Meteorological Administration's weather observation vessel, Gisang 1, and the weather aircraft, the Nara.

5) Launched in February 2020, the satellite makes 10 observations per day. With 13 spectral bands, the satellite has a spatial resolution of 250 meters and produces 26 types of different marine, atmospheric, and terrestrial data points.

KIOST President Kang said, “Through this Korea-US joint venture, we will be able to collect further information on the formation and dissipation of sea fog, and improve the accuracy of sea fog prediction technology to help prevent maritime accidents and create safer seas."