• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.642-655
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• 2013

In this study, semi-continuous measurements of $PM_{2.5}$ mass, organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), black carbon (BC), and ionic species concentrations were made for the period of April 03~13, 2012, at a South Area Supersite at Gwangju. Possible sources causing the high concentrations of major chemical species in $PM_{2.5}$ observed during a haze episode were investigated. The measurement results, along with meteorological parameters, gaseous pollutants data, air mass back trajectory analyses and PSCF (potential source contribution function) results, were used to study the haze episode. Substantial enhancements of OC, EC, BC, $K^+$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO{_3}{^-}$, $NH{_4}{^+}$, and CO concentrations were closely associated with air masses coming from regions of forest fires in southeastern China, suggesting likely an impact of the forest fires. Also the PSCF maps for EC, OC, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, and $K^+$ demonstrate further that the long-range transport of smoke plumes of forest fires detected over the southeastern China could be a possible source of haze phenomena observed at the site. Another possible source leading to haze formation was likely from photochemistry of precursor gases such as volatile organic compounds, $SO_2$, and $NO_2$, resulting in accumulation of secondary organic aerosol, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO{_3}{^-}$. Throughout the episode, local wind directions were between 200 and $230^{\circ}C$, where two industrial areas are situated, with moderate wind speeds of 3~5 m/s, resulting in highly elevated concentration of $SO_2$ with a maximum of 15 ppb. The $SO{_4}^{2-}$ peak occurring in the afternoon hours coincided with maximum ambient temperature ($24^{\circ}C$) and ozone concentration (~100 ppb), and were driven by photochemistry of $SO_2$. As a result, the pattern of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ variations in relation to wind direction, $SO_2$ and $O_3$ concentrations, and the strong correlation between $SO_2$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ ($R^2=0.76$) suggests that in addition to the impact of smoke plumes from forest fires in the southeastern China, local $SO_2$ emissions were likely an important source of $SO{_4}^{2-}$ leading to haze formation at the site.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.131-138
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• 2011

The concentration levels of n-alkanes and water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) at Anmyon, a Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) station operated by Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), has been characterized for the PM10 samples collected in 2010. It was found that the concentrations of WSOC at Anmyon were comparable to those in Seoul and lower than those in Gosan, another background area in Korea. However, the maximum concentration of the WSOC at Anmyon was observed in fall while that at Seoul was in winter. It suggests that the emission and/or transformation characteristics at two areas are different. The concentrations of n-alkanes at Anmyon were slightly lower than at Gosan and about one thirds at Seoul. However, it was found that at Gosan the n-alkanes from natural sources were dominant at Gosan. On the other hand, n-alkanes from anthropogenic sources were dominant at Anmyon. Study directions to further understand the characteristics of aerosols at Anmyon are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.567-587
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• 2018

A severe haze event occurred in October 2015 in Gwangju, Korea. In this study, the driving chemical species and the formation mechanisms of $PM_{2.5}$ pollution were investigated to better understand the haze event. Hourly concentrations of $PM_{2.5}$, organic and elemental carbon, water-soluble ions, and elemental constituents were measured at the air quality intensive monitoring station in Gwangju. The haze event occurred was attributed to a significant contribution (72.3%) of secondary inorganic species concentration to the $PM_{2.5}$, along with the contribution of organic aerosols that were strongly attributed to traffic emissions over the study site. MODIS images, weather charts, and air mass backward trajectories supported the significant impact of long-range transportation (LTP) of aerosol particles from northeastern China on haze formation over Gwangju in October 2015. The driving factor for the haze formation was stagnant atmospheric flows around the Korean peninsula, and high relative humidity (RH) promoted the haze formation at the site. Under the high RH conditions, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ were mainly produced through the heterogenous aqueous-phase reactions of $SO_2$ and $NO_2$, respectively. Moreover, hourly $O_3$ concentration during the study period was highly elevated, with hourly peaks ranging from 79 to 95ppb, suggesting that photochemical reaction was a possible formation process of secondary aerosols. Over the $PM_{2.5}$ pollution, behavior and formation of secondary ionic species varied with the difference in the impact of LTP. Prior to October 19 when the influence of LTP was low, increasing rate in $NO_3{^-}$ was greater than that in $NO_2$, but both $SO_2$ and $SO{_4}^{2-}$ had similar increasing rates. While, after October 20 when the impact of haze by LTP was significant, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ and $NO_3{^-}$ concentrations increased significantly more than their gaseous precursors, but with greater increasing rate of $NO_3{^-}$. These results suggest the enhanced secondary transformation of $SO_2$ and $NO_2$ during the haze event. Overall, the result from the study suggests that control of anthropogenic combustion sources including vehicle emissions is needed to reduce the high levels of nitrogen oxide and $NO_3{^-}$ and the high $PM_{2.5}$ pollution occurred over fall season in Gwangju.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.469-484
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• 2016

HR-ToF-AMS was applied for a seasonal and size-distributional measurements for inorganic ($SO{_4}^{2-}$, $NO_3{^-}$, $NH_4{^+}$, $Cl^-$) and organic components in Baegryung Island Super Site. The average concentration of $PM_{1.0}$ remarks $12.9{\mu}g/m^3$ while $14.5{\mu}g/m^3$ in Spring time, $14.2{\mu}g/m^3$ in Winter, $13.1{\mu}g/m^3$ in Summer and $9.86{\mu}g/m^3$ in Autumn. The mass of measured $PM_{1.0}$ shows 54.6% of $PM_{2.5}$ which is similar to those of Beijing and Lanzhou, China. The highest portion of Chemical composition is $SO{_4}^{2-}$ marking 41.0%, 31.8% by organics, 13.5% by $NH_4{^+}$, 12.8% by $NO_3{^-}$ and 1% by $Cl^-$. In every seasons, except winter, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ remarks the highest level, organic components take place the highest in winter time. The size-distribution of $PM_{1.0}$ components scattered at accumulation mode of 200 nm~800 nm which means the influence of primary emission is low. In case of air stream from the industrialized area of Sandung, Shanghai, China, the concentrations of such components were distributed a bit higher.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 2012

A comparison of analytical approaches for Levoglucosan ($C_6H_{10}O_5$, commonly formed from the pyrolysis of carbohydrates such as cellulose) and used for a molecular marker in biomass burning is made between the four different analytical systems. 1) Spectrothermography technique as the evaluation of thermograms of carbon using Elemental Carbon & Organic Carbon Analyzer, 2) mass spectrometry technique using Gas Chromatography/mass spectrometer (GC/MS), 3) Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) for the identification of the particle size distribution and chemical composition, and 4) two dimensional Gas Chromatography with Time of Flight mass spectrometry (GC${\times}$GC-TOFMS) for defining the signature of Levoglucosan in terms of chemical analytical process. First, a Spectrothermography, which is defined as the graphical representation of the carbon, can be measured as a function of temperature during the thermal separation process and spectrothermographic analysis. GC/MS can detect mass fragment ions of Levoglucosan characterized by its base peak at m/z 60, 73 in mass fragment-grams by methylation and m/z 217, 204 by trimethylsilylderivatives (TMS-derivatives). AMS can be used to analyze the base peak at m/z 60.021, 73.029 in mass fragment-grams with a multiple-peak Gaussian curve fit algorithm. In the analysis of TMS derivatives by GC${\times}$GC-TOFMS, it can detect m/z 73 as the base ion for the identification of Levoglucosan. It can also observe m/z 217 and 204 with existence of m/z 333. Although the ratios of m/z 217 and m/z 204 to the base ion (m/z 73) in the mass spectrum of GC${\times}$GC-TOFMS lower than those of GC/MS, Levoglucosan can be separated and characterized from D (-) +Ribose in the mixture of sugar compounds. At last, the environmental significance of Levoglucosan will be discussed with respect to the health effect to offer important opportunities for clinical and potential epidemiological research for reducing incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.411-423
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• 2017

The spacial potential source contribution function (PSCF) method was utilized by considering topography and height of back trajectories based on the measurement of organic typo matter (OM), $NO_3{^-}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$, and $NH_4{^+}$ at the Baegryungdo Super Site ($37^{\circ}57^{\prime}N$, $124^{\circ}37^{\prime}E$, 135 m a.s.l. (above sea level)) for three selected periods (i.e., January~April, May~August, and September~December) in 2013. The PSCF were calculated on the contributions of trans-boundary transport to the hourly mean concentrations using a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). The cluster analysis using back trajectories was performed to identify the major airflows to the sampling site. The upper atmosphere in the Tianjin area of China and the lower atmosphere in the western coast area of Korea can be the major source of trans-boundary pollution to the sampling site during January~April resulted from PSCF. The area in Lianyungang-city and Liaoning-sheng, China can be responsibile for the nitrogen related secondary compounds during May~August, and Shandong Peninsula in China is the major source area during September~December. In addition, relationships between the cluster analysis of back trajectories and PSCF were investigated for the statistically significance level for the source areas.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.237-250
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• 2013

At Gosan ABC superstation in Jeju Island, we measured organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in $PM_{2.5}$ from October 2009 to June 2010 using a Sunset Laboratory Model-4 Semi-Continuous OC/EC Field Analyzer. It employs TOT (Thermal-Optical-Transmittance) method with NIOSH 5040 protocol and enables to continuously monitor OC and EC concentrations with 1-hour time resolution. The mean values of OC and EC for the entire period of measurements were $2.1{\pm}1.4{\mu}g/m^3$ and $0.7{\pm}0.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The OC/EC ratio was 3 and EC accounted $25{\pm}2.1%$ of total carbon (TC, TC=OC+EC). Although OC and EC showed similar trend in seasonal variation, the ratio of OC to EC was the highest in early summer when temperature was the highest and the air was affected by biomass burning in the southern part of China. In winter, the high OC and EC concentrations were likely influenced by increased coal combustion from residential heating. The high OC and EC concentrations were observed during events such as haze, dust, and the combination of the two. During the haze events, OC and EC were enhanced with increase in $PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$, $SO_2$, and $NO_2$ with broad maxima. When dust occurred, both OC and EC started decreasing after reaching their maxima a couple of hours before $PM_{10}$ maximum. The peak separation of carbonaceous species and aerosol masses with time was more noticeable when haze event was followed by dust plume. These results confirm that OC and EC are key components of haze occurring in the study region.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.303-312
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• 2011

Data on the energy usage including biomass, emissions of air pollutants ($SO_x$, $NO_x$, CO), and the air quality in North Korea are analyzed. The energy usage in North Korea has decreased in the 1990s and thus, the emission amount of air pollutants. Coal and biomass constitute a major fraction of energy sources since the 1990s. It is identified that the emission amount of air pollutants per unit energy consumption in North Korea is much higher than South Korea for the period data are available (since 1990) implying that the air pollutant emission management system in North Korea is inadequate. In particular, the amount of biomass burning for household cooking and heating is significant with the huge emissions of air pollutants such as CO and organic species both in the gas and aerosol phase. Furthermore, it is found that the existing energy usage and air pollutant emission data are not consistent in biomass burning related data.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.727-734
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• 2018

In this study, real-time absorption coefficients of carbonaceous species in $PM_{2.5}$ was observed using a dual-spot 7-wavelength Aethalometer between November 1, 2016 and December 31, 2017 at an urban site of Gwangju. In addition, 24-hr integrated $PM_{2.5}$ samples were simultaneously collected at the same site and analyzed for organic carbon and elemental carbon (OC and EC) using the thermal-optical transmittance protocol. A main objective of this study was to estimate mass absorption cross section (MAC) values of black carbon (BC) particles at the study site using the linear regression between aethalometer-based absorption coefficient and filter-based EC concentration. BC particles observed at 880 nm is mainly emitted from combustion of fossil fuels, and their concentration is typically reported as equivalent BC concentration (eBC). eBC concentration calculated using MAC value of $7.77m^2/g$ at wavelength of 880 nm, which was proposed by a manufacturer, ranged from 0.3 to $7.4{\mu}g/m^3$ with an average value of $1.9{\pm}1.2{\mu}g/m^3$, accounting for 7.3% (1.5~20.9%) of $PM_{2.5}$. The relationship between aerosol absorption coefficients at 880 nm and EC concentrations provided BC MAC value of $15.2m^2/g$, ranging from 11.4 to $16.2m^2/g$. The eBC concentrations calculated using the estimated MAC of $15.2m^2/g$ were significantly lower than those reported originally from aethalometer, and ranged from 0.2 to $3.8{\mu}g/m^3$, with an average of $1.0{\pm}0.6{\mu}g/m^3$, accounting for 3.7% of $PM_{2.5}$ (0.8~10.7%). Result from this study suggests that if the MAC value recommended by the manufacturer is applied to calculate the equivalent BC concentration and radiative forcing due to BC absorption, they would result in significant errors, implying investigation of an unique MAC value of BC particles at a study site.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.6_2
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• pp.1591-1604
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• 2023

In ocean color remote sensing, atmospheric correction is a vital process for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of ocean color products. Furthermore, in recent years, the remote sensing community has intensified its requirements for understanding errors in satellite data. Accordingly, research is currently addressing errors in remote sensing reflectance (R_rs) resulting from inaccuracies in meteorological variables (total ozone, pressure, wind field, and total precipitable water) used as auxiliary data for atmospheric correction. However, there has been no investigation into the error in R_rs caused by the variability of the water vapor profile, despite it being a recognized error source. In this study, we used the Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal Vector version 2.1 simulation to compute errors in water vapor transmittance arising from variations in the water vapor profile within the GOCI-II observation area. Subsequently, we conducted an analysis of the associated errors in ocean color products. The observed water vapor profile not only exhibited a complex shape but also showed significant variations near the surface, leading to differences of up to 0.007 compared to the US standard 62 water vapor profile used in the GOCI-II atmospheric correction. The resulting variation in water vapor transmittance led to a difference in aerosol reflectance estimation, consequently introducing errors in R_rs across all GOCI-II bands. However, the error of R_rs in the 412-555 nm due to the difference in the water vapor profile band was found to be below 2%, which is lower than the required accuracy. Also, similar errors were shown in other ocean color products such as chlorophyll-a concentration, colored dissolved organic matter, and total suspended matter concentration. The results of this study indicate that the variability in water vapor profiles has minimal impact on the accuracy of atmospheric correction and ocean color products. Therefore, improving the accuracy of the input data related to the water vapor column concentration is even more critical for enhancing the accuracy of ocean color products in terms of water vapor absorption correction.