• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.422-434
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• 2016

This study was conducted to understand roles of $NO_x(=NO+NO_2)$ on high $O_3$ episodes at an urban monitoring station in Seoul. Concentrations of NO, $NO_2$, $NO_y$ and $O_3$ were measured intensively at KIST monitoring station which located at urban center in Seoul metropolitan area during May 18~June 13, 2015. Sampling period was planed because high $O_3$ and PM occurred frequently during from late spring to early summer months in Seoul. The experimental site locates in NW from center of Seoul and is surrounded by residential area. Belt highway of the city runs from north to west side nearby experimental site. Vehicle exhaust emissions due to heavy traffic influenced $NO_x$ concentration at the site during northwesterly wind. Specific $NO_2$ concentration was measured by Blue Light photolytic converter, and it was compared to $NO_2$ concentration measured by molybedenum converter. $[NO_2]_{phtolysis}$ was usually lower than $[NO_2]_{molybedenum}$ during the experiment period; however their diurnal variations were very similar. The linear relationship between these $NO_2$ concentrations was found to be $[NO_2]_{phtolysis}$=0.64 $[NO_2]_{molybedenum}$ - 2.6, $r^2$=0.83 during May 16~8, 2015. The difference between $NO_2$ by molybdenum converter and by photolytic converter (${\Delta}NO_2=[NO_2]_{molybedenum}-[NO_2]_{phtolysis}$) accounted for residual $NO_y$ which can represent $NO_z$ (=$NO_y-NO_x$). $O_3$ concentration showed typical daily trend which has maximum at late afternoon and minimum during the night. $O_3$ increased at a rate of 7 ppb/hr since 8 am. and reached the maximum concentration (~80 ppb) at 3 pm.. The diurnal pattern of $O_3$ was inversely related with that of $NO_2$, suggesting that the formation of $O_3$ was the result of photochemical activity of $NO_2$.