The statistical characteristics of aerosol–cloud interactions over East Asia were investigated using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite data. The long-term relationship between various aerosol and cloud parameters was estimated using correlation analysis, principle component analysis, and Aerosol Indirect Effect (AIE) estimation. In correlation analysis, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) was positively Correlated with Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) and Cloud Fraction (CF), but negatively correlated with Cloud Top Temperature (CTT) and Cloud Top Pressure (CTP). Fine Mode Fraction (FMF) and CCN were positively correlated over the ocean because of sea spray. In principle component analysis, AOD and FMF were influenced by water vapor. In particular, AOD was positively influenced by CF, and negatively by CTT and CTP over the ocean. In AIE estimation, the AIE value in each cloud layer and type was mostly negative (Twomey effect) but sometimes positive (anti-Twomey effect). This is related to regional, environmental, seasonal, and meteorological effects. Rigorous and extensive studies on aerosol–cloud interactions over East Asia should be conducted via micro- and macro-scale investigations, to determine chemical characteristics using various meteorological instruments.

This study investigated the nitrate formation process, and mass closure of Particulate Matter (PM) were calculated over the urbanized area of Jeju Island. The data for eight water-soluble inorganic ions and nineteen elements in PM2.5 and PM10 were used. The results show that the nitrate concentration increased as excess ammonium increased in ammonium-rich samples. Furthermore, nitrate formation was not as important in ammonium-poor samples as it was in previous studies. According to the sum of the measured species, approximately 45~53% of gravimetric mass of PM remained unidentified. To calculate the mass closure for both PM2.5 and PM10, PM chemical components were categorized into secondary inorganic aerosol, crustal matter, sea salt, trace matter and unidentified matter. The results by the mass reconstruction of PM components show that the portion of unidentified matter was decreased from 52.7% to 44.0% in PM2.5 and from 45.1% to 29.1% in PM10, despite the exclusion of organic matter and elemental carbon.

To determine the size distributions of water-soluble inorganic ionic species (WSIS) in roadside aerosols, sampling experiments were carried out in the urban roadside area of Jeju City on August 2018 and January 2019 by using the eight-stage cascade impactor sampler. The mass of roadside aerosols were partitioned at 57% in fine fraction, 36-37% in coarse fraction, and 6-7% in giant fraction, regardless of summer and winter. The mass concentrations of WSIS except for Na+ and SO42- in roadside aerosols were higher in winter than in summer. The size distributions of Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Cl- were characterized by bimodal types with coarse particle mode peaking around 3.3-4.7㎛ and 5.8-9.0㎛ . The size distributions of NO3 - and K+ shifted from a single fine mode peaking around 0.7-1.1㎛ in winter to bimodal and/or trimodal types with peaks around coarse mode in summer. SO4 2- and NH4 + showed a single fine mode peaking around 0.7-1.1㎛ . The MMAD of roadside aerosols was lower than that of Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Cl-. Based on the marine enrichment factors and the ratio values of WSIS and the corresponding value for sea water, the composition of roadside aerosols in Jeju City may be practically affected by terrestrial sources rather than marine source.

The aerosol chemical components in PM2.5 in several regions (Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Jeju Island) were investigated with regard to their concentration characteristics and optical properties. The optical properties of the various aerosol components (e.g., water-soluble, insoluble, Black Carbon (BC), and sea-salt) were estimated using hourly and daily aerosol sampling data from the study area via a modeling approach. Overall, the water-soluble component was predominant over all other components in terms of concentration and impact on optical properties (except for the absorption coefficient of BC). The annual mean concentration and Aerosol Optical Ddepth (AOD) of the water-soluble component were highest in Seoul (at the Gwangjin site) (26 μg/m3 and 0.29 in 2013, respectively). Further, despite relatively moderate BC concentrations, the annual mean absorption coefficient of BC (21.7 Mm-1) was highest in Busan (at the Yeonsan site) in 2013, due to the strong light absorbing ability of BC. In addition, high AODs for the water-soluble component were observed most frequently in spring and/or winter at most of the study sites, while low values were noted in summer and/or early fall. The diurnal variation in the AOD of each component in Seoul (at the Gwangjin site) was slightly high in the morning and low in the afternoon during the study period; however, such distinctions were not apparent in Jeju Island (at the Aweol site), except for a slightly high AOD of the water-soluble component in the morning (08:00 LST). The monthly and diurnal differences in the AOD values for each component could be attributed to the differences in their mass concentrations and Relative Humidities (RH). In a sensitivity test, the AODs estimated under RH conditions of 80 and 90% were factors of 1.2 and 1.7 higher, respectively, than the values estimated using the observed RH.

Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are essential for forecasting one-day-ahead solar irradiance. In order to evaluate the performance of the WRF in forecasting solar irradiance over the Korean Peninsula, we compared WRF prediction data from 2008 to 2010 corresponding to weather observation data (OBS) from the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA). The WRF model showed poor performance at polluted regions such as Seoul and Suwon where the relative Root Mean Square Error (rRMSE) is over 30%. Predictions by the WRF model alone had a large amount of potential error because of the lack of actual aerosol radiative feedbacks. For the purpose of reducing this error induced by atmospheric particles, i.e., aerosols, the WRF model was coupled with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. The coupled system makes it possible to estimate the radiative feedbacks of aerosols on the solar irradiance. As a result, the solar irradiance estimated by the coupled system showed a strong dependence on both the aerosol spatial distributions and the associated optical properties. In the NF (No Feedback) case, which refers to the WRF-only stimulated system without aerosol feedbacks, the GHI was overestimated by 50–200 W m-2 compared with OBS derived values at each site. In the YF (Yes Feedback) case, in contrast, which refers to the WRF–CMAQ two-way coupled system, the rRMSE was significantly improved by 3.1–3.7% at Suwon and Seoul where the Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations, specifically, those related to the PM10 size fraction, were over 100 g m-3. Thus, the coupled system showed promise for acquiring more accurate solar irradiance forecasts.

Aerosol mass size distributions were investigated at 865 m high the of Jirisan national park. A nanosampler cascade impactor was used to collect aerosols. The atmospheric aerosol particles had a unimodal mass size distribution, which peaked at 0.5–1.0 μm, and a mass aerodynamic diameter of 1.13 μm. The annual average concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5, PM1, PM0.5 and PM0.1 were 20.9 μg/m3, 19.3 μg/m3, 14.9 μg/m3, 10.7 μg/m3, 5.3 μg/m3, 1.2 μg/m3, respectively. TSP concentrations were below 30 μg/m3 during the sampling period. On average PM10, PM2.5, PM1, PM0.5 and PM0.1 made up 0.91, 0.70, 0.41, 0.19 and 0.07 of TSP, respectively. The annual average of PM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.77.

Atmospheric aerosol particles were investigated at GNTECH university in Jinju city. Samples were collected using the Nanosampler period from January to December 2014. The Nanosampler is a 6 stage cascade impactor(1 stage : > 10 μm, 2 stage : 2.5~10 μm, 3 stage : 1.0~2.5 μm, 4 stage : 0.5~1.0 μm, 5 stage : 0.1~0.5 μm, back-up : < 0.1 μm) with the stages having 50% cut-off ranging from 0.1 to 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter. The mass size distribution of Atmospheric aerosol particles was unimodal with peak at 1.0~2.5 μm or 0.5~1.0 μm. The annual average concentrations of TSP, PM10, PM2.5, PM1, PM0.5 and PM0.1 were 44.0 μg/m3, 40.3 μg/m3, 31.4 μg/m3, 18.0 μ g/m3, 8.2 μg/m3, 3.0 μg/m3, respectively. On average PM10, PM2.5, PM1, PM0.5 and PM0.1 make up 0.91, 0.70, 0.41, 0.19 and 0.07 of TSP, respectively. The annual average of PM2.5/PM10 ratio was 0.77.

This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic aerosols emission on East Asian climate during the winter (December-February) for the period of 1961-1990. Using a globally coupled climate model, HadGEM2-AO, we compare ensemble means between historical runs with and without aerosol emissions. During the 20th century the major contributions to the total Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) over the East Asian region came more from anthropogenic aerosols than from natural aerosols. The increasing total AOD induces the negative radiative in a clear-sky condition, leading to cooling the surface. Indirect effect contributes to the increase in the total cloud fraction, resulting from the increased low-level stratus and stratocumulus clouds. Consequently, the net surface radiative flux becomes negative due to the direct and indirect effects of aerosols. Land surface cooling seems to enhance the landsea pressure gradient in the East Asian wintertime climate, and the associated wind anomalies induce the regional wintertime precipitation amount changes over South China.

Future changes in mineral dust emission are studied using CMIP5 models. These models simulate climatological spatial distribution of dust emission over the observed major sources; Sahara Desert to Arabia and Southwest Asia. Model estimates for the range of global dust emission simulation appear large in the quantity of dust produced and the amplitude of interannual variability. According to the ensemble mean in global annual emissions, projections of four RCPs do not have significant long-term trends in mineral dust aerosol emissions at the end of 21st century. Meanwhile over Northeast Asia, annual emissions are projected to decrease significantly in four RCPs. Reductions appear over the major sources of mineral dust. Seasonally emission reduction in spring is distinct. In April and May, future changes with decreasing emission appear only in RCP4.5 with significance. Aerosol emission amount changes are related to changes in land surface property. We analyze future projection of soil moisture and bare soil area fraction. Regarding the projected decreasing trend in the annual emission amount over Northeast Asia, soil moisture is expected to increase in the emission source region in four RCPs. Relatively, the effect of bare soil area changes over the emission source appears in some models and RCPs.

Asian dust (or yellow sand) occurring mainly in spring in East Asia is affected by the distribution of weather systems. This study was performed to investigate the characteristics of suspended particulate for Asian dust at Busan, Korea in 20 March 2010, which was one of the extreme case for the last 10 years. There was used the data of weather chart, satellite, automatic weather system (AWS), PM10, laser particle counter (LPC), and backward trajectories model. In synoptically, the high pressure was located in the northwestern part and low pressure was located in the northeastern part of Korea. The strong westerly winds from surface to upper layer makes it possible to move air masses rapidly. Air masses passing through Gobi Desert in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia plateau covered the entire Korean peninsula. As the results of aerosol analysis, PM10 concentration at Gudeok mountain in Busan was recorded 2,344 ㎍/m3 in 2300 LST 20 March 2010 and their concentration was markedly increased at coarse mode particle. In surface condition, westerly wind about 3 ∼ 5 m/s was dominant and small particles of 0.3 ∼ 0.5 ㎛ were distributed on the whole. In heavy metal components analysis, the elements from the land was predominated.

Most of livestock houses are concentrated in certain area with mass rearing system resulting in rapid spread of infectious diseases such as HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza). The livestock-related vehicles which frequently travel between farms could be a major factor for disease spread by means of transmission of airborne aerosol including pathogens. This study was focused on the quantitative measurement of aerosol concentration by field experiment while vehicles were passing through the road. The TSP (total suspended particle) and PM10 (particle matter) were measured using air sampler with teflon filter installed downward the road with consideration of weather forecast and the direction of road. And aerosol spectrometer and video recorders were also used to measure the real-time distribution of aerosol concentration by its size. The results showed that PM2.5 was not considerable for transmission of airborne aerosol from the livestock-related vehicle. The mass generated from the road during the vehicle movement was measured and calculated to 241.4 μg/m3 by means of the difference between TSP and PM2.5. The dispersion distance was predicted by 79.6 m from the trend curve.

The shortwave aerosol direct radiative forcing (SWARF) was analyzed using the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) data in the East Asian region from 2001 to 2010. In the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula, located in the leeward side of China, significantly negative high SWARF at the top of atmosphere (TOA) occurs due to the long-range transport of anthropogenic (e.g. sulphate) and natural aerosols (e.g. mineral dust) from the East Asian continent. Conversely, eastern China has much higher levels of SWARF at the surface (SFC) due to anthropogenically emitted aerosol than in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula. Since the radiative forcing of aerosols in the atmosphere are different in type, aerosol types were classified into sea salt+sulphate, smoke, sulphate and dust by using satellite data. The analysis on the SWARF by the classified aerosol types indicated that sulphate occupies a predominant portion of the atmosphere in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula in the summer. In particular, the annual averages of the summer TOA SWARF increased in the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula from 2001 to 2010.

The aerosol number concentration have measured with an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer(APS) at Gosan in Jeju Island, which is known as background area in Korea, from March 2010 to February 2011. The obtained results of asian dust events and non-asian dust period have been compared. The results show that the entire averaged aerosol number concentration from APS measurement during asian dust events and non-asian dust period are about 341 particles/㎝3 and 240 particles/㎝3, respectively. During asian dust events, the number concentration in small size ranges(≤0.4 ㎛) are similar to non-asian dust period, however, those in large size ranges(≥0.7 ㎛) are very higher than non-asian dust period. The contributions of the size resolved number concentration(23 channel in 0.25∼10.0 ㎛) to total number concentration in that range are dramatically decreased with increased particle size. The contributions of smaller size ranges(≤0.4 ㎛) during asian dust events are very low compared with non-asian dust period, on the other hand, those of larger size ranges(≥0.4 ㎛) are higher than non-asian dust period. total aerosol number concentration are depended on the number concentration in range of smaller than 0.58 ㎛ during non-asian dust period and asian dust events. On the other hand, PM10 mass concentration has mainly affected with the number concentration in range of smaller than 1.0 ㎛ during non-asian dust period, however, during asian dust events, the mass concentration has mainly affected with the number concentration in range of 0.65∼3.0 ㎛.

Aerosol characterization study for individual particle in Busan metropolitan industrial complex was carried out from December 2010 to August 2011. SEM(scanning electron microscope)-EDX(energy dispersive x-ray) analysis was used for the analysis of 600 single particles during the sampling periods to identify non-metallic aerosol particle sources. Average PM10 concentration was 65.5 ㎍/㎥ in summer, 104.1 ㎍/㎥ in winter during the sample periods. And Average PM2.5 concentration was 24.5 ㎍/㎥ in summer, 64.5 ㎍/㎥ in winter individually. Particle density, enrichment factor, correlation analysis, principle component analysis were performed based on chemical composition data. Particle density distribution was measured to 2∼4 g/㎤, and the density of PM2.5 was measured above 3 g/㎤. In general, the elements Si, Ca, Fe and Al concentrations were higher in all samples of individual particles. The non-ferrous elements Zn, Br, Pb, Cu concentrations were higher in summer than in winter. The concentrations were not changed with the seasons because of non-ferrous industry emission pattern.

The versatile aerosol concentration enrichment system (VACES) have proven useful for providing elevated levels of atmospheric aerosol to human and animal exposures. In this study, we describe a VACES and tests conducted to both optimize the enhancement factor (EF) and characterize how it depends on experiment conditions. Particle number concentrations were measured from upstream and downstream of the system by scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) with a long differential mobility analyzer (DMA) in combination with a condensation particle counter (CPC). SMPS was used for to determine VACES particle EF. Particle EF tends to increase for higher the saturator temperature (TSat) and lower the condenser temperature (TCon). TCon higher than 0 °C and TSat lower than 50 °C was the best to obtain the most increase in particle concentration. Correlation analysis of EF with factor variables of TSat and TCon resulted in correlation 0.662 and 0.416, respectively. With all five predictor variables included in a multiple regression model, the EF had a liner correlation with R2 = 0.643.

This study analyzed mass concentrations of TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 and elemental constituents according to the isentropic backward trajectories of air parcel from Cheongwonin East Asia during the period January – October, 2011. Mass concentrations of the continental polluted airflow (CP) showed levels of TSP and PM10 mass concentrations higher than the continental background airflow (CB). Also, PM2.5 mass concentrations of anthropogenic fine particles ran higher in CP than in CB. The elemental constituents and elemental constituent ratio ended up varying depending on the origin of atmospheric aerosols generated. The average absolute content of elemental constituents reached its height in CB, the ratio of anthropogenically originating elements (PE) among the all elements (AE) analyzed marked a high in CP, and Mg+Na/AE reached its height in the oceanic airflow (OA). At the same time, TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentrations, the ratio of PM2.5/TSP and PE/AE element ratio ran higher in CP than CB. Episodes of large-scale transport of atmospheric pollutants as observed at Cheongwon were 8 cases and 22 days. The ratios of PM10, PM2.5 among TSP mass concentrations showed different results and the ratios of PM2.5 showed an increasing trend in the episodes of anthropogenic air pollution transport. Overall, dustfall episodes show a level of elemental constituents higher than those of anthropogenic air pollution.Dustfall episodes were observed to contain more of Fe, Al and Ca originating from continental soils and those of air pollution were observed to contain more of Zn, Mn, Cu and Pb. By difference in contents of absolute elemental constituents, episodes of anthropogenic air pollution showed a high PE/AE rate, and dustfall episodes a high SE/AE rate.

The aerosol number concentration have measured with an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer(APS) at Gosan site, which is known as background area in Korea, from January to September 2011. The temporal variation and the size distribution of aerosol number concentration have been investigated. The entire averaged aerosol number concentration in the size range 0.25∼32.0 ㎛ is about 252 particles/㎝3. The number concentration in small size ranges(≤ 0.5 ㎛) are very higher than those in large size ranges, such as, the number concentration in range of larger than 6.5 ㎛ are almost zero particles/㎝3. The contributions of the number concentration to PM10 and/or PM2.5 are about 34%, 20.1% and 20.4% in the size range 0.25∼0.28 ㎛, 0.28∼0.30 ㎛ and 0.30∼0.35 ㎛, respectively, however, the contributions are below 1% in range of larger than 0.58 ㎛. The monthly variations in the number concentration in smaller size range(<1.0 ㎛) are evidently different from the variations in range of larger than 1.0 ㎛, but the variations are appeared similar patterns in smaller size range(<1.0 ㎛), also the variations in range of larger than 1.0 ㎛ are similar too. The diurnal variations in the number concentration for smaller particle(<1.0 ㎛) are not much, but the variations for larger particle are very evident. Size-fractioned aerosol number concentrations are dramatically decreased with increased particle size. The monthly differences in the size-fractioned number concentrations for smaller size range(<0.7 ㎛) are not observed, however, the remarkable monthly differences are observed for larger size than 0.7 ㎛.

The aerosol number concentration have measured with an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer(APS) at Gosan site in Jeju, Korea, from March 2010 to March 2011. And then the atmospheric aerosol number concentration, the temporal variation and the size distribution of aerosol number concentration have been investigated. The aerosol number concentration varies significantly from 748 particles/㎝3 to zero particles/㎝3. The average number concentration in small size ranges are very higher than those in large size ranges. The number concentrations in the size range 0.25∼0.28 ㎛, 0.40∼0.45 ㎛ and 2.0∼2.5 ㎛ are about 84 particles/㎝3, 2 particles/㎝3 and 0.4 particles/㎝3, respectively. The number concentrations in range of larger than 7.5 ㎛ are below 0.001 particles/㎝3. The seasonal variations in the number concentration for smaller particle(<1.0 ㎛) are not much, but the variations for larger particle are very evident. And strong amplitudes of diurnal variations of entire averaged aerosol number concentration are not observed. Size-fractioned aerosol number concentrations are dramatically decreased with increased particle size. The size-fractioned aerosol number concentrations in size range 0.8∼4.0 ㎛ during nighttime are evidently higher than during daytime, but similar levels are appeared in other size range. The seasonal differences in the size-fractioned number concentrations for smaller size range(<0.7 ㎛) are not observed, however, the remarkable seasonal differences are observed for larger size than 0.7 ㎛.

Aerosol physical properties have been measured at Pusan National University by using the 16-channel LPC(Laser Particle Counter), and particle characteristics have been examined for the period from Aug. 4 2007 to Dec. 30, 2008. Annual total average, seasonal average, and other averages of the meteorologically classified four categories such as Asian dust, precipitation, foggy, and clear days are respectively described here. Both annually and seasonally averaged number concentration show three peaks at the particle diameter of 0.3, 1.3, and 4㎛, respectively. However, the first peak for summer season tends to be shifted toward smaller size than other seasons, implying the strong fine particle generation. Meteorological condition shows strong contrast in aerosol concentrations. In Asian dust case, relatively lower number concentrations of fine particles(i.e., smaller than 0.5㎛) were predominant, while higher concentrations of coarse particles were found particularly for the size bigger than 0.5㎛. In precipitation day, number concentrations were decreased by approximately 30% due to the removal process of precipitation. Foggy day shows significantly higher concentrations for fine particles, implying the importance of the aerosol condensation process of micro-fine-particle growing to fine-particle. Finally the regressed particle size distribution function was fitted optimally with two log-normal distribution, and discussed the similarities and differences among four categorized cases of the Asian dust, precipitation, foggy, and clear days.