• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.215-224
• /
• 2004

We report the high concentration episodes for PM$_{10}$, SO$_2$, NO$_2$, and $O_3$ in many urban areas Korea during 2002. The high concentration episodes are identified based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and the observations obtained from the Regional Air Monitoring Network composed of approximately 160 air pollution monitoring stations located in a number of major or big cities in South Korea including Seoul, Pusan, Daegu, and Incheon cities. The results show that the twenty cases of high concentration episodes in 2002 consists of both ozone warning episodes (6 cases) and high PM$_{10}$ concentration cases (14 cases), and one half of the latter are found to occur in association with the Yellow Sand (Asian Dust) phenomena. The most outstanding characteristics of the reported episodes are the excessively high levels of maximum PM$_{10}$ concentrations during the Yellow Sand period (i.e., exceeding 3,000$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ in April, 2002) and their variable occurrence frequencies across seasons. The high ozone concentration episode days are mainly resulting from both the high photochemical reactions and poor ventilations. The high PM$_{10}$ concentration days during non Yellow Sand periods, however, mostly occurred under the influence of synoptic meteorological conditions such as stagnant or slowly passing high pressure centers, and consequently prevailing weak wind speeds over the Korean peninsula. The overall results of our study thus suggest the importance of both synoptic and local meteorological factors for high concentration levels in the major and/or big cities in Korea.n Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.815-824
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to analyze the meteorological characteristics of wintertime high PM10 concentration episodes in Busan. $PM_{10}$ concentration has been reduced for the past four years and recorded near or exceeded 100 ${\mu}g/m^3$ (national standard of $PM_{10}$). High concentration episodes in Busan were 6 case, $PM_{2.5}/PM_{10}$ ratio was 0.36~0.39(mean 0.55). High $PM_{10}$ concentration occurred during higher air temperature, more solar radiation and sunshine, lower relative humidity, and smaller cloud amount. Synoptically, it also occurred when Busan was in the center or the edge of anticyclone and when sea breeze intruded. An analysis of upper air sounding showed that high $PM_{10}$ concentration occurred when surface inversion layer and upper subsidence inversion layer existed, and when boundary layer depth and vertical mixing coefficient were low. An analysis of backward trajectory of air mass showed that high $PM_{10}$ concentration was largely affected by long range transport considering that it occurs when air mass is intruded from China.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.999-1012
• /
• 2022

To investigate the reason for the spatial difference in PM_2.5 (Particulate Matter, < 2.5 ㎛) concentration despite a similar synoptic pattern, a synoptic analysis was performed. The data used for this study were the daily average PM_2.5 concentration and meteorological data observed from 2016 to 2020 in Busan and Seoul metropolitan areas. Synoptic pressure patterns associated with high PM_2.5 concentration episodes (greater than 35 ㎍/m³) were analyzed using K-means cluster analysis, based on the 900 hPa geopotential height of NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) FNL (Final analysis) data. The analysis identified three sub-groups related to high concentrations occurring only in Busan and Seoul metropolitan areas. Although the synoptic patterns of high PM_2.5 concentration episodes that occur independently in Busan and Seoul metropolitan areas were similar, there was a difference in the intensity of pressure gradient and its direction, which tends to be an important factor determining the movement time of pollutants. The spatial difference in PM_2.5 concentration in the Korean Peninsula is due to the difference and direction of the atmospheric pressure gradient that develops from southwest to northeast direction.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.267-280
• /
• 1999

To investigate the characteristics of high-ozone occurrences in the Greater Seoul Area(GSA), three high-ozone episodes were selected, for which the ozone warning for concentration above 120 ppb might be issued. The selection was on the basis of morning wind directions and speeds, and daily maximum ozone concentrations measured between 1990 and 1997. The episodes chosen to meet selection criteria were seven days in July 1992, nine days in July 1994, and three days in August 1994, as respectively characterized by southwesterly, easterly, and calm winds in the morning. However, more than 80% of high-ozone days in the GSA were associated with calm winds and the concomitant accumulation of local emission in the morning, rather than being due to transport of ozone or its precursors. This is believed to be the primary reason why ozone concentrations in the GSA varied in a completely different manner even between adjacent monitoring stations. Several premises for initiating research studies for resolving these local variations of ozone concentrations in the GSA are also discussed.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.441-455
• /
• 1999

Meteorological characteristics of three high-ozone episodes in the Greater Seoul Area, selected on the basis of morning-average wind direction and speed for the 1990~1997 period, were investigated. Three high-ozone episodes thus selected were seven days of July 3~9, 1992, nine days of July 21~29, 1994, and three days of August 22~24, 1994. Along with surface meteorological data from the Seoul Weather Station, surface and 850-hPa wind fields over the Northest Asia around the Korean Peninsula were used for the analysis. In the July 1992 episode, westerly winds were most frequent as a result of the influence of a high-pressure system in the west behind the trough. In contrast, in the July 1994 episode, easterly winds were most frequent due to the effect of a typhoon moving north from the south of Japan. Despite different prevailing wind directions in the two episodes, the peak ozone concentration of each episode always occurred when a sea-land breeze developed in association with weak synoptic forcing. The August 1994 episode, selected as being representative of calm conditions, was another typical example in which peak ozone concentration rose to 322 ppb under the well-developed sea-land breeze. All three high-ozone episodes were terminated by precipitation, and subsequent rises in ozone concentrations were also suppressed by a series of precipitation afterwards. In particular, two heavy rainfalls were the main reason why the August 1994 episode, with the highest and second-highest ozone concentrations during the 1990~1997 period, lasted for only a few days.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.11 no.12
• /
• pp.1253-1259
• /
• 2002

This study analyzes the surface ozone, NO and $NO_2$ concentration data from 1997 to 1999 in Daegu. It investigates effect on precursor during high-ozone episode days. The high-ozone episode is defined when a daily maximum ozone concentration is higher than 100 ppb(ambient air quality standard of Korea) in at least one station among six air quality monitoring stations. The frequency of episodes is 13 days(33 hours). The frequency is the highest in May and September, and the area with the highest frequency is Nowondong and Manchondong. The average value of daily maximum ozone concentration with high ozone episode is 81.6 ppb, and that of 8-hour average ozone concentration is 58.6 ppb. It means that ozone pollution is continuous and wide-ranging in Daegu. The daily variation of NO, $NO_2$ and $O_3$ in high-ozone episodes are inversely proportional one another. Nowondong an industrial area, is affected by pollutants that are emitted from the primary sources, while Manchondong a residential area, is affected by the advection of $O_3$ or by the primary pollutants like VOCs.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.761-772
• /
• 2020

This research investigated the meteorologically relevant characteristics of high PM_2.5 episodes in Busan. The number of days when daily mean PM₁₀ concentration exceeded 100 ㎍/㎥ and the PM_2.5 concentration exceeded 50 ㎍/㎥ over the last four years in Busan were 24 and 58, respectively. Haze occurrence frequency was 37.6% in winter, 27.4% in spring, 18.6% in fall, and 16.4% in summer. Asian dust occurrence frequency was 81.8% in spring, 9.1% in fall and winter, and 0% in summer. During summer in Busan, high PM_2.5 episode occurred under the following meteorological conditions. 1) Daytime sea breeze. 2) Mist and haze present throuout the day. 3) Anti-cyclone located around the Korean peninsula. 4) Stable layer formed in the lower atmosphere. 5) Air parcel reached Busan by local transport rather than by long-range transport. These results indicate that understanding the meteorological relevance of high PM_2.5 episodes could provide insight for establishing a strategy to control urban air quality.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.47-59
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to simulate the high ozone concentration in Shiwha Banwol indusrial complex. High pollution episodes (ozone alert) of this area are the results of geographical location and its air pollutants emission. This research has used meteorological model (RAMS) and photochemical air pollution Model (CIT model). As first step of the evaluate of this combined model system simulations are done in terms of meteorological characteristics like wind fields, PBL-height, etc.. Numerical simulations are carried out with real meteorological synoptic data on June. 24-25, 2010. In comparison with real measurement and another research the model reflects well local meteorological phenomena and shows the possibility to be utilized to analyse the pollutant dispersion over irregular terrain region. The high ozone concentration is deeply correlated to the ambient air temperature, wind speed and solar radiation. Local meteorological phenomena like sea-land breeze impact on horizontal dispersion of ozone. This analysis of meteorological characteristics can, in turn, help to predict their influences on air quality and to manage the high ozone episodes.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.424-435
• /
• 2002

This study analyzes the surface ozone and meteorological data in Daegu for a period from 1997 to 1999. It also investigates the meteorological characteristics of high ozone episodes. For this study the high ozone episode has been defined as a daily maximum ozone concentration higher than 100ppb in at least one station among six air quality monitoring stations in Daegu, Korea. The frequency of episodes is 13 days. The frequency is the highest in May and September. The average value of daily maximum ozone concentration is 81.6ppb, and 8-hour average ozone concentration is 58.6ppb for the high episodes. This shows that ozone pollution is continuous and wide-ranging in Daegu. The daily maximum ozone concentration is positively correlated to solar radiation and daily maximum temperature, but negatively correlated to relative humidity, wind speed and cloud amount. The maximal correlation coefficient to solar radiation is 0.45. The differences between high ozone episode day's daily mean meteorological value and monthly mean value are +1.58hPa for sea level pressure, +3.45${\circ}$C for maximum temperature, -5.69% for relative humidity, -0.46ms$^{-1}$ for wind speed, -1.79 for cloud amount, and +3.97MJm$^{-2}$ for solar radiation, respectively. This shows that strong solar radiation, low wind speed and no precipitation between 0700${\sim}$1100LST are favorite conditions for high ozone episodes. It is related to the morning stagnant condition.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.32 no.8
• /
• pp.521-531
• /
• 2023

This study analyzed the impact of recirculation on high-concentration PM_2.5 in the coastal area. Through the analysis of observational data, it was observed that the development of sea breeze led to an increase in PM_2.5 and SO₄^2- concentrations. Hysplit backward trajectory analysis confirmed the occurrence of air mass recirculation. Results from WRF and CMAQ numerical simulations indicated that pollutants transported from land to sea during the night were re-transported to the land by daytime sea breeze, leading to high-concentration PM_2.5 in Busan. To quantitatively investigate the recirculation a recirculation factor (RF) was calculated, showing an increase in RF values during high-concentration PM_2.5 episodes. However, the RF values varied slightly depending on the time resolution of meteorological data used for the calculations. This variation was attributed to the terrain characteristics at observation sites. Additionally, during long-range transported days leading to nationwide high-concentration PM_2.5 events, synoptic-scale circulation dominated, resulting in weaker correlation between PM_2.5 concentration and RF values. This study enhances the understanding of the influence of recirculation on air pollution. However, it is important to consider the impact of temporal resolution and terrain characteristics when using RF for evaluating recirculation during episodes of air pollution.