• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.404-406
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• 2010

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.571-578
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• 2009

$PM_{2.5}$ black carbon (BC) concentrations were measured to investigate the filter spot loading effect in raw BC data at 5-minute time-based resolution using a single-wavelength aethalometer at a Gwangju site. Also the elemental carbon (EC) concentrations from 24-hr integrated filter-based measurements of $PM_{2.5}$ particles were determined to compare with the loading compensated BC values. Close examination of the time-series BC data showed clearly the "gaps" when the filter tape advances, suggesting the correction of raw BC data. Therefore, we calculated the average BC concentration in each range of attenuation (ATN) to decide if there was (or was not) an effect on the aethalometer data according to the loading of the filter spot. A consistent decrease of average BC concentration was found with increasing ATN values for every month, suggesting there was a consistent "spot loading effect" in the raw BC data. The loading compensated BC concentration according to a simple compensation model with loading effect was 1.01~1.15 times greater than the raw BC data. The 24-hr average concentration of EC observed during summer sampling period was about 3% higher than the original 24-hr average BC value and 2% lower than the loading compensated BC concentration.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2010

Black carbon (BC) concentrations were measured with an aethalometer (AE-16, 880 nm) at time interval of 5-min at an urban site of Gwangju over a year 2008. 24-hr filter-based integrated measurements of $PM_{2.5}$ particles were also made at the same site during the winter and summer intensive periods to test any optical loading bias in the raw BC data measured by aethalometer. BC concentration was higher in winter than in summer, possibly due to increase in emissions from energy consumption and poor dispersion with reduction of boundary layer in winter. Also temporal cycles of BC indicate that short-term transient spikes were common, occurring primarily during the rush-hour periods. A similar feature was also observed in diurnal concentration cycle of CO, mainly emitted from motor vehicles. When both low wind speed and weather patterns such as mist, haze and etc were combined, high BC concentrations frequently occurred. The amount of optical loading effect described by the "k" factor showed the seasonal variation, ranging from 0.0003 to 0.0036. This implies that optical loading effect is not seen at all times. From the comparison between the filter-based elemental carbon (EC) and aethalometer BC data, it was found that the loading compensated BC values were more reasonable than the raw BC ones reported from the aethalometer.

• 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.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.185-191
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• 2015

Ambient measurements of aerosol light absorption (${\sigma}_a$) and scattering coefficients (${\sigma}_s$) were done at Gosan climate observatory during summer 2008 using a 3-wavelength photoacoustic soot spectrometer (PASS). PASS was deployed photoacoustic method for light absorption and integrated nephelometry for light scattering measurements. The ${\sigma}_a$ and ${\sigma}_s$ from PASS were compared with those from co-located aethalometer and nephelometer measurements. The aethalometer measurements of ${\sigma}_a$ correlated reasonably well with photoacoustic measurements, but the slope of the linear fitting line indicated the PASS measurement values of ${\sigma}_a$ were larger by a factor of 1.53. The nephelometer measurement values of ${\sigma}_s$ correlated very well with PASS measurements of ${\sigma}_s$, with a slope of 1.12 and a small offset. Comparing to the aethalometer measurements, the photoacoustic measurements of ${\sigma}_a$ didn't exhibit a significant (i.e., the ratio between aethalometer and PASS increased) change with increasing relative humidity (RH). The ratio of ${\sigma}_s$ between nephelometer and PASS increased with increasing RH, especially when the RH increased beyond 80%. This apparent increase in ${\sigma}_s$ with RH may be due to the contribution of hygroscopic growth of aerosols.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.466-477
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• 2007

To understand particle pollution phenomena caused by vehicles, black carbon (BC) concentrations were continuously monitored using an aethalometer at a roadside in Seoul during the period of May 79 to 25, 2005. The BC concentration was highly fluctuated for a short duration, responding to the traffic situation on the road. The lowest BC concentration was observed between 2 and 5 a.m. The local highest BC concentrations were observed during the periods of both morning and evening rush hours. Change in traffic volume accounts for the trend of hourly averaged BC concentrations from the late evening to the morning. Particularly, the slower increase of BC concentration on Sunday seems to respond directly the lower traffic volume in the morning rush hours. From the comparison with a previous work, it is concluded that the BC concentration around midday hours might be dependent on the distance from a road.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.201-208
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• 2011

Recently, a real-time, pocket-sized aethalometer (microAeth$^{(R)}$ model AE51) has been developed by Magee Scientific Inc. for measuring the concentration of black carbon in the atmosphere. In this study, two aethalometers, models AE-16 and AE-51, which measure the optical absorption of carbon particles at infrared 880 nm, were operated at time interval of 5-min between January 9 and February 10, 2010 at an urban site of Gwangju, to compare the accuracy of black carbon (BC) concentrations reported from the AE-51 model and to investigate reasonable sampling time of filter media in the AE-51. The air samples in the AE-51 and AE-16 models are collected on T60 (Teflon coated glass fiber) filter media (filter spot area: 0.07 $cm^2$) and quartz fiber roll-tape filter (filter spot area: 1.67 $cm^2$), respectively. Real-time measurement results indicate that when the filters were clean, the AE-51 BC was greater than or similar to the AE-16 BC data. However as the filter spots become darker, the AE-16 BC concentrations were higher than the AE-51 BC data and the difference in the BC concentrations from two AE models becomes gradually increased. Relative error in the AE-51 and AE-16 BC concentrations showed significance difference depending on used time of the filter in the AE-51 model, weather pattern, levels of air pollution, etc, ranging from 11.5% (used time of the filter in AE-51: 1,595 min) to 52.5% (used time of the filter in AE-51: 2,085 min). When considering the used time of one filter ticket in the AE-51 model and difference (or relative error %) between AE-16 and AE-51 BC concentrations, it is recommended that the standard sampling time per one filter ticket within the AE-51 model be less than approximately 24 hr (1,440 min) under the normal weather conditions except for severe haze and mist events.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.207-222
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• 2018

In this study, light absorption of carbonaceous species in $PM_{2.5}$ was investigated using a dual-spot 7-wavelength Aethalometer(model AE33) with 1-min time interval between January 01 and September 30, 2017 at an urban site of Gwangju. During the study period, two Asian dust (AD) events occurred in April (AD I) and May (AD II), respectively, during which light absorption in total suspended particles was observed. Black carbon (BC) was the dominant light absorbing aerosol component at all wavelengths over the study period. Light absorption coefficients by aerosol particles were found to have 2.7~3.3 times higher at 370 nm than at 880 nm. This would be attributed to light absorbing organic aerosols, which is called brown carbon (BrC), as well as BC as absorbing agents of aerosol particles. Monthly average absorption ${{\AA}}ngstr{\ddot{o}}m$ exponent ($AAE_{370-950nm}$) calculated over wavelength range of 370~950 nm ranged from 1.10 to 1.35, which was lower than the $AAE_{370-520nm}$ values ranging from 1.19~1.68 that was enhanced due to the presence of BrC. The estimated $AAE_{370-660nm}$ of BrC ranged from 2.2 to 7.5 with an average of 4.22, which was fairly consistent to the values reported by previous studies. The BrC absorption at 370 nm contributed 10.4~28.4% to the total aerosol absorption, with higher contribution in winter and spring and lower in summer. Average $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations were $108{\pm}36$ and $24{\pm}14{\mu}g/m^3$ during AD I, respectively, and $164{\pm}66$ and $43{\pm}26{\mu}g/m^3$ during AD II, respectively, implying the greater contribution of local pollution and/or regional pollution to $PM_{2.5}$ during the AD II. BC concentration and aerosol light absorption at 370 nm were relatively high in AD II, compared to those in AD I. Strong spectral dependence of aerosol light absorption was clearly found during the two AD events. $AAE_{370-660nm}$ of both light absorbing organic aerosols and dust particles during the AD I and II was $4.8{\pm}0.5$ and $6.2{\pm}0.7$, respectively. Higher AAE value during the AD II could be attributed to mixed enhanced urban pollution and dust aerosols. Absorption contribution by the light absorbing organic and dust aerosols estimated at 370 nm to the total light absorption was approximately 19% before and after the AD events, but it increased to 32.9~35.0% during the AD events. In conclusion, results from this study support enhancement of the aerosol light absorption due to Asian dust particles observed at the site.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.319-329
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• 2015

The characteristics of aerosol light extinction were investigated by comparing measured and calculated extinction coefficient to understand the contribution of air pollutants on visibility impairment for data during 4 months (Jan~ April), 2014. The integrated nephelometer and aethalometer system were installed to measure the scattering and absorption coefficients of aerosol as well as BAM 1020, MARGA, semi-continuous OCEC analyzer, and online-XRF to calculate the extinction coefficient. The IMPROVE_2005 equation was used to determine the contributions of different chemical components on visibility impairment in $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$ due to highest correlation with measured data. Sulfate, nitrate, and organic mass by carbon (OMC) of fine aerosol were the major contributors affecting on visibility impairment. Total contributions to light extinction were calculated as $631.0Mm^{-1}$ for the worst-case and $64.4Mm^{-1}$ for the best-case. The concentrations of aerosol component for the worst-case were 38.4 times and 45.5 times larger than those of the best-case for $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and $NH_4NO_3$, respectively. At lower visibility condition, in which extinction coefficient was higher than $400Mm^{-1}$, extinction coefficient varied according to the relative humidity variation regardless of $PM_{2.5}$.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.486-492
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• 2018

Black carbon concentrations were measured along the altitude at various locations using a drone coupled with a small black carbon detector. The measurement locations are Eunseok Mountain, downtown, four places in KOREATECH campus, Byeongcheon, Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, and Chungbu Expressway in Ochang-eup, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do. The average concentration of black carbon measured in Eunseok Mountain was $1.64{\mu}g/m^3$ and the average concentration near the Chungbu Expressway was measured to be $3.86{\mu}g/m^3$. The average concentrations of four places inside campus ranged from 1.37 to $2.67{\mu}g/m^3$. The concentration of black carbon at all places tended to be slightly decreased according to the altitude, but the influence of pollution source, geometry, wind speed, and wind direction are thought to be larger than the effect of altitude. Effect of air flow caused by drone flight on the measurement of black carbon were investigated and it resulted in that the measurement of BC concentration was affected by less than 5%.