Dataset Information

Investigation of factors controlling PM_2.5 variability across the South Korean Peninsula during KORUS-AQ.

ABSTRACT: The Korea - United States Air Quality Study (May - June 2016) deployed instrumented aircraft and ground-based measurements to elucidate causes of poor air quality related to high ozone and aerosol concentrations in South Korea. This work synthesizes data pertaining to aerosols (specifically, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 micrometers, PM_2.5) and conditions leading to violations of South Korean air quality standards (24-hr mean PM_2.5 < 35 ?g m^-3). PM_2.5 variability from AirKorea monitors across South Korea is evaluated. Detailed data from the Seoul vicinity are used to interpret factors that contribute to elevated PM_2.5. The interplay between meteorology and surface aerosols, contrasting synoptic-scale behavior vs. local influences, is presented. Transboundary transport from upwind sources, vertical mixing and containment of aerosols, and local production of secondary aerosols are discussed. Two meteorological periods are probed for drivers of elevated PM_2.5. Clear, dry conditions, with limited transport (Stagnant period), promoted photochemical production of secondary organic aerosol from locally emitted precursors. Cloudy humid conditions fostered rapid heterogeneous secondary inorganic aerosol production from local and transported emissions (Transport/Haze period), likely driven by a positive feedback mechanism where water uptake by aerosols increased gas-to-particle partitioning that increased water uptake. Further, clouds reduced solar insolation, suppressing mixing, exacerbating PM_2.5 accumulation in a shallow boundary layer. The combination of factors contributing to enhanced PM_2.5 is challenging to model, complicating quantification of contributions to PM_2.5 from local versus upwind precursors and production. We recommend co-locating additional continuous measurements at a few AirKorea sites across South Korea to help resolve this and other outstanding questions: carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide (transboundary transport tracer), boundary layer height (surface PM_2.5 mixing depth), and aerosol composition with aerosol liquid water (meteorologically-dependent secondary production). These data would aid future research to refine emissions targets to further improve South Korean PM_2.5 air quality.

SUBMITTER: Jordan CE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7784633 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Investigation of factors controlling PM2.5 variability across the South Korean Peninsula during KORUS-AQ.

Jordan Carolyn E CE Crawford James H JH Beyersdorf Andreas J AJ Eck Thomas F TF Halliday Hannah S HS Nault Benjamin A BA Chang Lim-Seok LS Park JinSoo J Park Rokjin R Lee Gangwoong G Kim Hwajin H Ahn Jun-Young JY Cho Seogju S Shin Hye Jung HJ Lee Jae Hong JH Jung Jinsang J Kim Deug-Soo DS Lee Meehye M Lee Taehyoung T Whitehill Andrew A Szykman James J Schueneman Melinda K MK Campuzano-Jost Pedro P Jimenez Jose L JL DiGangi Joshua P JP Diskin Glenn S GS Anderson Bruce E BE Moore Richard H RH Ziemba Luke D LD Fenn Marta A MA Hair Johnathan W JW Kuehn Ralph E RE Holz Robert E RE Chen Gao G Travis Katherine K Shook Michael M Peterson David A DA Lamb Kara D KD Schwarz Joshua P JP

Elementa (Washington, D.C.) 20200101 28

The Korea - United States Air Quality Study (May - June 2016) deployed instrumented aircraft and ground-based measurements to elucidate causes of poor air quality related to high ozone and aerosol concentrations in South Korea. This work synthesizes data pertaining to aerosols (specifically, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 micrometers, PM2.5) and conditions leading to violations of South Korean air quality standards (24-hr mean PM2.5 < 35 μg m-3</sup ...[more]

PMID: 33409323

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Dataset Information

Investigation of factors controlling PM_2.5 variability across the South Korean Peninsula during KORUS-AQ.

Publications

Investigation of factors controlling PM<sub>2.5</sub> variability across the South Korean Peninsula during KORUS-AQ.

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