• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.693-710
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• 2013

This study investigates the distribution of suspended particulates during the Asian dust period in Busan, Korea in the spring of 2009. Weather map and automatic weather system (AWS) data were used to analyze the synoptic weather conditions during the period. Particulate matter 10, laser particle counter data, satellite images and a backward trajectories model were used to analyze the aerosol particles distribution and their origins. In Case 1 (20 February 2009), when the $PM_{10}$ concentration increased, the aerosol volume distribution of small ($0.3-1.0{\mu}m$) particles decreased, while the concentration of large ($1.0-10.0{\mu}m$) particles increased. When the $PM_{10}$ concentration decreased, the aerosol volume distribution was observed to decrease as well. The prevailing winds changed from weak northerly winds to strong southwesterly winds when the concentration of the large particles increased. The correlation coefficient between the $PM_{10}$ concentration and aerosol volume distribution of large particles showed a high positive value of over 0.9. The results from the trajectory model show that the Asian dust originated in the Gobi desert and the Nei Mongol plateau. In Case 2 (25 April 2009), when the $PM_{10}$ concentration increased, the aerosol volume concentration of small ($0.3-0.5{\mu}m$) particles decreased, but the concentration of large ($0.5-10.0{\mu}m$) particles increased. The opposite was observed when the $PM_{10}$ concentration decreased. The prevailing winds changed from northeasterly winds to southwesterly and northeasterly winds. The correlation coefficient between the $PM_{10}$ concentration and aerosol volume distribution of large particles ($1.0-10.0{\mu}m$) showed a high positive value of about 0.9. The results from the trajectory model show that the Asian dust originated in Manchuria and the eastern coast of China.