YOO-JUN KIM
Physical Oceanographer
Observation
Regional atmosphere & ocean numerical modeler
Physical Oceanographer
Observation
Regional atmosphere & ocean numerical modeler
I am a physical oceanographer with expertise in coastal sea circulation. My work integrates seagoing observations and high-resolution atmosphere and ocean numerical modeling (O~100 m) to study the dynamics of regional ocean systems. I aim to understand key circulation processes from estuary to continental shelf/slope at fine spatiotemporal scales by combining in-situ observed data with advanced computational simulations.
yoojunkim[at]aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Seagoing in-situ observations play a vital role in advancing physical oceanography, focusing on understanding dynamics in the estuary to continental shelf/slope near Ria coasts. Observation captures spatiotemporal variations in ocean currents and water properties through various methods, including CTD profiling, moored ADCP measurements, and other observational tools.
I have been fortunate to actively contribute to 3 research vessel (RV) observations and 3 bay observations, where I engaged in data collection and analysis to investigate key physical processes and high-frequency variabilities. These efforts provide essential insights for validating high-resolution numerical models and improving my understanding of water mass exchange, mixing, and circulation patterns. For more details, click Observations !
Regional atmosphere and ocean numerical modeling (O~100 m)
The regional atmosphere and ocean modeling systems framework that I have developed is designed to simulate regional processes with high-resolution grids (O~100m). By utilizing the WRF model for atmospheric dynamics and the KINACO model for small-scale ocean processes, this system aims to elucidate realistic high-resolution spatio-temporal ocean physical processes. The model outputs are validated against in-situ observed data to ensure their accuracy and reliability.
This monthly online meeting began in August 2020 as a Zoom discussion between me and Dr. Se-Yong Song. It has since grown to include 19 active participants, comprising Ph.D. students and early-career scientists specializing in climate and physical oceanography. The meetings typically feature participants sharing their work or inviting early-career scientists from around the world to present their research. If you are interested in joining the meeting or giving a talk, please feel free to contact me. For more details, click ICANDO !
Current status
Ph.D. candidate at Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo (Academic advisor: Dr. Kiyoshi Tanaka)
2021 04 - present: World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program in Proactive Environmental Studies Research Assistant, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
2025 06: Best young researcher poster presentation award from Macrocoast
2024 10: Student Attractive Presentation Award (SAPA) from Macrocoast
2021 04 - present: World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program in Proactive Environmental Studies (WINGS-PES)
WINGS-PES Research Assistant Fee: 180,000 JPY / month (Total: 9,720,000 JPY for both master and doctoral courses)
WINGS-PES Activity Promotion Grant: 1,020,000 JPY
Total: 1,992,000 JPY
2012 03 - 2019 02: Bachelor’s degree in Science, Department of Ocean Sciences / Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, Korea
2020 10 - 2022 09: Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
2022 10 - present: Ph.D. candidate, Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan