Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul
Abstract In March 2020, the average concentration of PM2.5 in Seoul decreased by 44% compared to that in March 2019 (from 45 µg m−3 to 25 µg m−3). In this study, the synoptic and local meteorological conditions during the period with reduced PM2.5 concentrations were analyzed. The synoptic meteorolo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200512 |
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| author | Il-Soo Park Moon-Soo Park Sang-Heon Kim Yu Woon Jang Joonsuk Lee Jeffrey S. Owen Chang-Rae Cho Joon-Bum Jee Jung-Hoon Chae Minsoo Kang |
| author_facet | Il-Soo Park Moon-Soo Park Sang-Heon Kim Yu Woon Jang Joonsuk Lee Jeffrey S. Owen Chang-Rae Cho Joon-Bum Jee Jung-Hoon Chae Minsoo Kang |
| author_sort | Il-Soo Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In March 2020, the average concentration of PM2.5 in Seoul decreased by 44% compared to that in March 2019 (from 45 µg m−3 to 25 µg m−3). In this study, the synoptic and local meteorological conditions during the period with reduced PM2.5 concentrations were analyzed. The synoptic meteorological conditions during March 2020 show a common characteristic of strong zonal flow and winds. Therefore, air circulation was active and meteorological conditions were unfavorable to long-range transboundary transport. Local meteorological conditions such as wind and turbulent motion at the surface were sensitive to PM2.5 concentrations. Our analyses indicate that the greatly reduced PM2.5 concentrations were mainly influenced by synoptic rather than local conditions. Decreased demand for heating of buildings due to warmer temperatures in March 2020, the economic slowdown following the outbreak of COVID-19, and the implementation of guidelines aimed at controlling particulate matter (PM) were other important causes of reduced PM2.5 emissions. A decrease in long-range transboundary transport contributed to the reduced PM2.5 concentrations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-89c1b6e8c7d74d95a2a1b62b09cc2b09 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1680-8584 2071-1409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerosol and Air Quality Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-89c1b6e8c7d74d95a2a1b62b09cc2b092025-02-09T12:21:32ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092021-07-0121911410.4209/aaqr.200512Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in SeoulIl-Soo Park0Moon-Soo Park1Sang-Heon Kim2Yu Woon Jang3Joonsuk Lee4Jeffrey S. Owen5Chang-Rae Cho6Joon-Bum Jee7Jung-Hoon Chae8Minsoo Kang9Research Center for Atmospheric Environment, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesClimate Change & Environmental Research Center, Sejong UniversityClimate Change & Environmental Research Center, Sejong UniversityDepartment of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesResearch Center for Atmospheric Environment, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesDepartment of Environmental Science, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesResearch Center for Atmospheric Environment, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesResearch Center for Atmospheric Environment, Hankuk University of Foreign StudiesClimate Change & Environmental Research Center, Sejong UniversityClimate Change & Environmental Research Center, Sejong UniversityAbstract In March 2020, the average concentration of PM2.5 in Seoul decreased by 44% compared to that in March 2019 (from 45 µg m−3 to 25 µg m−3). In this study, the synoptic and local meteorological conditions during the period with reduced PM2.5 concentrations were analyzed. The synoptic meteorological conditions during March 2020 show a common characteristic of strong zonal flow and winds. Therefore, air circulation was active and meteorological conditions were unfavorable to long-range transboundary transport. Local meteorological conditions such as wind and turbulent motion at the surface were sensitive to PM2.5 concentrations. Our analyses indicate that the greatly reduced PM2.5 concentrations were mainly influenced by synoptic rather than local conditions. Decreased demand for heating of buildings due to warmer temperatures in March 2020, the economic slowdown following the outbreak of COVID-19, and the implementation of guidelines aimed at controlling particulate matter (PM) were other important causes of reduced PM2.5 emissions. A decrease in long-range transboundary transport contributed to the reduced PM2.5 concentrations.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200512SeoulLow PM2.5 concentrationsSynoptic meteorologyLocal meteorologyCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Il-Soo Park Moon-Soo Park Sang-Heon Kim Yu Woon Jang Joonsuk Lee Jeffrey S. Owen Chang-Rae Cho Joon-Bum Jee Jung-Hoon Chae Minsoo Kang Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul Aerosol and Air Quality Research Seoul Low PM2.5 concentrations Synoptic meteorology Local meteorology COVID-19 |
| title | Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul |
| title_full | Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul |
| title_fullStr | Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul |
| title_full_unstemmed | Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul |
| title_short | Meteorological Characteristics during Periods of Greatly Reduced PM2.5 Concentrations in March 2020 in Seoul |
| title_sort | meteorological characteristics during periods of greatly reduced pm2 5 concentrations in march 2020 in seoul |
| topic | Seoul Low PM2.5 concentrations Synoptic meteorology Local meteorology COVID-19 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.200512 |
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