• Atmosphere
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.525-535
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• 2019

Vertical distributions of aerosol mass concentrations over Seoul and Gangneung from January to February 2015 were investigated using aerosol Mie-scattering lidars. Vertical mass concentration of aerosol was calculated from the lidar data using KALION's algorithm and quantitatively compared with ground PM₁₀ concentration to obtain objectivity of data. The backward trajectories calculated using HYSPLIT (version 4) were clustered into 5 traces for Seoul and 6 traces for Gangneung, and the observed aerosol vertical mass distribution was analyzed for individual trajectories. Result from the analysis shows that, aerosol concentrations with in the planetary boundary layer were highest when airflows into the measurement points originated in the Shandong Peninsula or the Inner Mongolia. In addition, the difference of aerosol mass concentrations in the two regions below 1 km was about twice as large as that in the long range transport from the Shandong Peninsula compared to the local emission. This result shows that the air quality over Korea related to particulate matters are affected more by aerosol emissions in the upstream source regions and the associated transboundary transports than local emissions. This study also suggests that the use of local aerosol observations is critical for accurate simulations of aerosol-cloud interactions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.503-513
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• 2022

This research investigated the effect of the eruption of Japan Sakurajima volcano on the concentration of ultrafine particle when the north Pacific high pressure exists in the Busan in summer. As a result of analyzing the forward trajectory using the HYSPLIT model, the air parcel from Sakurajima volcano passed through the sea in front of Busan at 1500 LST on July 17, 24 hours after the volcanic eruption. As a result of analyzing the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in the Busan for two days from July 16 to 17, 2018, the Sakurajima eruption in Japan, it can be seen that there was a high increase in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations compared to the previous day. As a result of analyzing the backward trajectory, the air mass that reached Busan at 1300 LST on July 17, 2018 has moved near the Sakurajima volcano at 1,500 m, 2,000 m, and 3,000 m. The concentration of SO₄^2- in PM_2.5, the concentration of all three stations in Busan showed a sharp increase from 1000 LST on July 17th. Looking at the NH₄⁺ concentration in PM_2.5, it shows a very similar variation trend to SO₄^2-, and the correlation coefficient between the two components is 0.96 for Jangrimdong and Yeonsandong, and 0.85 for Busan New Port. Looking at the NO₃^- concentration in PM_2.5, the same high concentrations as SO₄² and NH₄⁺ were not observed in the afternoon of July 17th.

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

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2014

North Korea's uranium enrichment facility is a matter of international concern. It is of particular alarming to South Korea with regard to the security and safety of the country. This situation requires continuous monitoring of the DPRK and emergency preparedness on the part of the ROK. To assess the detectability of an undeclared uranium enrichment plant in North Korea, uranium concentrations in the air at both a short and a long distance from the enrichment facility were estimated. $UF_6$ source terms were determined by using existing information on North Korean facility and data from the operation experience of enrichment plants from other countries. Using the calculated source terms, two atmospheric dispersion models (Gaussian Plume Model and HYSPLIT models) and meteorological data were used to estimate the uranium particle concentrations from the Yongbyon enrichment facility. A maximum uranium concentration and its location are dependent upon the meteorological conditions and the height of the UF6 release point. This study showed that the maximum uranium concentration around the enrichment facility was about $1.0{\times}10^{-7}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$. The location of the maximum concentration was within about 0.4 km of the facility. It has been assumed that the uranium sample of about a few micrograms (${\mu}g$) could be obtained; and that few micrograms of uranium can be easily measured with current measurement instruments. On the contrary, a uranium concentration at a distance of more than 100 kilometers from the enrichment facility was estimated to be about $1.0{\times}10^{-13}{\sim}1.0{\times}10^{-15}g{\cdot}m^{-3}$, which is less than back-ground level. Therefore, based on the results of our paper, an air sample taken within the vicinity of the Yongbyon enrichment facility could be used to determine as to whether or not North Korea is carrying out an undeclared nuclear program. However, the air samples taken at a longer distance of a few hundred kilometers would prove difficult in detecting a clandestine nuclear activities.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.241-249
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• 2014

The continuous observations for atmospheric aerosol were carried out during 3 years (2009-2011) by using a multi-wavelength Raman lidar at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Korea ($35.11^{\circ}N$, $126.54^{\circ}E$). The particle depolarization ratios were retrieved from the observations in order to distinguish the Asian dust layer. The vertical information of Asian dust layers were used as input parameter for the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for analysis of its backward trajectories. The source regions and transport pathways of the Asian dust layer were identified. The most frequent source region of Asian dust in Korea was Gobi desert during observation period in this study. The statistical analysis on the particle depolarization ratio of Asian dust was conducted according to their transport route in order to retrieve the variation of optical properties of Asian dust during long-range transport. The transport routes were classified into the Asian dust which was transported to observation site directly from the source regions, and the Asian dust which was passed over pollution regions of China. The particle depolarization ratios of Asian dust which were transported via industrial regions of China was ranged 0.07-0.1, whereas, the particle depolarization ratio of Asian dust which was transported directly from the source regions to observation site were comparably higher and ranged 0.11-0.15. It is considered that the pure Asian dust particle from source regions were mixed with pollution particles, which is likely to spherical particle, during transportation so that the values of particle depolarization of Asian dust mixed with pollution was decreased.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.597-605
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• 2014

The continuous observations for atmospheric aerosols were conducted during 3 years (2009 to 2011) by using Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) multi-wavelength Raman lidar at Gwangju, Korea ($35.10^{\circ}N$, $126.53^{\circ}E$). The aerosol depolarization ratios calculated from lidar data were used to identify the Asian dust layer. The optical properties of Asian dust layer were different according to its vertical distribution. In order to investigate the difference between the optical properties of each individual dust layers, the transport pathway and the transport altitude of Asian dust were analyzed by Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. We consider that the variation of optical properties were influenced not only their transport pathway but also their transport height when it passed over anthropogenic pollution source regions in China. The lower particle depolarization ratio values of $0.12{\pm}0.01$, higher lidar ratio of $67{\pm}9sr$ and $68{\pm}9sr$ at 355 nm and 532 nm, respectively, and higher ${\AA}ngstr\ddot{o}m$ exponent of $1.05{\pm}0.57$ which are considered as the optical properties of pollution were found. In contrast with this, the higher particle depolarization ratio values of $0.21{\pm}0.09$, lower lidar ratio of $48{\pm}5sr$ and $46{\pm}4sr$ at 355 nm and 532 nm, respectively, and lower ${\AA}ngstr\ddot{o}m$ exponent of $0.57{\pm}0.24$ which are considered as the optical properties of dust were found. We found that the degree of mixing of anthropogenic pollutant aerosols in mixed Asian dust govern the variation of optical properties of Asian dust and it depends on their altitude when it passed over the polluted regions over China.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of fine dust PM₁₀ and heavy metals in PM₁₀ in Asian dust flowing into Gwangju from 2013 to 2018. The migration pathways of Asian dust was analyzed by backward trajectory analysis using HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model, and the change of heavy metal concentration and heavy metal content per 1 ㎍/㎥ of fine dust PM₁₀ in Gwangju area were analyzed. Also, the characteristics of the heavy metals were analyzed using the correlation between the heavy metals in PM₁₀. As a result of analyzing Asian dust entering the Gwangju region for 6 years, the average concentration of PM₁₀ measured in Asian dust was 148 ㎍/㎥, which was about 4.5 times higher than in non-Asian dust, 33 ㎍/㎥. A total of 13 Asian dust flowed into the Gwangju during 6 years, and high concentration of PM10 and heavy metals in that were analyzed in the C path flowing through the Gobi/Loess Plateau-Korean Peninsula. As a result of the correlation analysis, in case of Asian dust, there was a high correlation between soil components in heavy metals, so Asian dust seems to have a large external inflow. On the other hand, in case of non-Asian dust, the correlation between find dust PM₁₀ and artificial heavy metal components was high, indicating that the influence of industrial activities in Gwangju area was high.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.475-489
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• 2010

In order to verify the enhancement of ozone and carbon monoxide (CO) during springtime in East Asia, we investigated weather conditions and data from remote sensors, air quality models, and air quality monitors. These include the geopotential height archived from the final (FNL) meteorological field, the potential vorticity and the wind velocity simulated by the Meteorological Mesoscale Model 5 (MM5), the back trajectory estimated by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, the total column amount of ozone and the aerosol index retrieved from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), the total column density of CO retrieved from the Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT), and the concentration of ozone and CO simulated by the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers (MOZART). In particular, the total column density of CO, which mightoriginate from the combustion of fossil fuels and the burning of biomass in China, increased in East Asia during spring 2000. In addition, the enhancement of total column amounts of ozone and CO appeared to be associated with both the upper cut-off low near 500 hPa and the frontogenesis of a surface cyclone during a weak Asian dust event. At the same time, high concentrations of ozone and CO on the Earth's surface were shown at the Seoul air quality monitoring site, located at the surface frontogenesis in Korea. It was clear that the ozone was invaded by the downward stretched vortex anomalies, which included the ozone-rich airflow, during movement and development of the cut-off low, and then there was the catalytic photochemical reaction of ozone precursors on the Earth's surface during the day. In addition, air pollutants such as CO and aerosol were tracked along both the cyclone vortex and the strong westerly as shown at the back trajectory in Seoul and Busan, respectively. Consequently, the maxima of ozone and CO between the two areas showed up differently because of the time lag between those gases, including their catalytic photochemical reactions together with the invasion from the upper troposphere, as well as the path of their transport from China during the weak Asian dust event.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2006

Tropospheric aerosols are highly variant in time and space due to non-uniform source distribution and strong influence of meteorological conditions. Backscatter lidar measurement is useful to understand vertical distribution of aerosol. However, the backscatter lidar equation is undetermined due to its dependence on the two unknowns, extinction and backscattering coefficient. This dependence necessitates the exact value of the ratio between two parameters, that is, the lidar ratio. Also, Iidar ratio itself is useful optical parameter to understand properties of aerosols. Tropospheric aerosols were observed to understand variance of lidar ratio at Anmyeon island ($36.32^{/circ}N$, $126.19^{/circ}E$), Korea using a multi-wavelength raman lidar system developed by the Advanced Environmental Monitoring Research Center (ADEMRC), Gwangju Institute Science and Technology (GIST), Korea during measurement periods; March 15$\sim$April $16^{th}$, 2004 and May 24$\sim$ $8^{th}$ 2005. Extinction coefficient, backscattering coefficient, and lidar ratio were measured at 355 and 532 nm by the Raman method. Different types of aerosol layers were distinguished by the differences in the optical properties such as Angstrom exponent, and lidar ratio. The average value of lidar ratio during two observation periods was found to be $50.85\pm4.88$ sr at 355 nm and $52.43\pm15.15$ sr at 532 nm at 2004 and $57.94\pm10.29$ sr at 355 nm and $82.24\pm15.90$ sr at 532 nm at 2005. We conduct hysplit back-trajectory to know the pathway of airmass during the observation periods. We also calculate lidar ratio of different type of aerosol, urban, maritime, dust, continental aerosols using OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds), Remote sensing of atmospheric aerosol using a multi-wavelengh lidar system with Raman channels is quite and powerful tool to characterize the optical propertises of troposheric aerosols.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.550-561
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• 2009

This study is to investigate the air pollution characteristics of an industrialized midsize west-coastal city by comparing air quality to a neighboring inland city. The hourly averaged data of $O_3$, $SO_2$, $NO_2$, CO, and $PM_{10}$ measured from continuous air quality monitoring sites in Gunsan (coastal) and Jeonju (inland) were analyzed. The data set covers the period from 2004 to 2006. The annual average concentrations of the air pollutants in two cities were compared in their abundances and temporal trends as well. $O_3$ and $SO_2$ in Gunsan were relatively higher than those in Jeonju, while vice versa in case of $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$. It seems that heavy automobile emissions from Jeonju mainly bring on higher $NO_2$ and $PM_{10}$ than those in Gunsan on annual base. $NO_2$ concentrations in both cities showed bimodal diurnal variations with peaks in the morning and in the late evening. These peaks correspond to the coupled effects of rush hour traffic and meteorological conditions (i.e., variation of mixing height and dispersion conditions). Maximum hourly averages of $NO_2$ ranged from 18 ppb to 28 ppb at Jeonju, and from 12 ppb to 20 ppb at Gunsan. $O_3$ showed typical diurnal variation with a maximum in the afternoon between 14:00 and 16:00 LST. Diurnal variations of CO and $PM_{10}$ were similar to $NO_2$ while $SO_2$ was similar to $O_3$. Seasonal variations of $PM_{10}$ in both cities indicated that their concentrations during spring season were significantly high. Asian dust storms occur frequently during spring and seem to affect increase in $PM_{10}$. High $O_3$ and $PM_{10}$ days were selected from both cities. The analyses based on the HYSPLIT trajectory model during the high $O_3$ and $PM_{10}$ showed these episodes (six cases) were mostly coincident with Asian dust storm originated from northern China and Mongolia. However, these high air pollution episodes in the west coastal cities may not only be caused by the Asian dust but also affected by other air pollutants transported from China accompanying the Asian dust.