Together with emissions of air pollutants and precursors, meteorological conditions play important roles in local air quality through accumulation or ventilation, regional transport, and atmospheric chemistry. In this study, we extensively investigated multi-timescale meteorological effects on the urban air pollution using the long-term measurements data of PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, CO, and O₃ and meteorological variables over the period of 1999–2016 in Seoul, South Korea. The long-term air quality data were decomposed into trend-free short-term components and long-term trends by the Kolmogorov–Zurbenko filter, and the effects of meteorology and emissions were quantitatively isolated using a multiple linear regression with meteorological variables. In terms of short-term variability, intercorrelations among the pollutants and meteorological variables and composite analysis of synoptic meteorological fields exhibited that the warm and stagnant conditions in the migratory high-pressure system are related to the high PM₁₀ and primary pollutant, while the strong irradiance and low NO₂ by high winds at the rear of a cyclone are related to the high O₃. In terms of long-term trends, decrease in PM₁₀ (−1.75 µg m⁻³ yr⁻¹) and increase in O₃ (+0.88 ppb yr⁻¹) in Seoul were largely contributed by the meteorology-related trends (−0.94 µg m⁻³ yr⁻¹ for PM₁₀ and +0.47 ppb yr⁻¹ for O₃), which were attributable to the subregional-scale wind speed increase. Comparisons with estimated local emissions and socioeconomic indices like gross domestic product (GDP) growth and fuel consumptions indicate probable influences of the 2008 global economic recession as well as the enforced regulations from the mid-2000s on the emission-related trends of PM₁₀ and other primary pollutants. Change rates of local emissions and the transport term of long-term components calculated by the tracer continuity equation revealed a decrease in contributions of local emissions to the primary pollutants including PM₁₀ and an increase in contributions of local secondary productions to O₃. The present results not only reveal an important role of synoptic meteorological conditions on the episodic air pollution events but also give insights into the practical effects of environmental policies and regulations on the long-term air pollution trends. As a complementary approach to the chemical transport modeling, this study will provide a scientific background for developing and improving effective air quality management strategy in Seoul and its metropolitan area.

The air quality of the megacities in populated and industrialized regions like East Asia is affected by both local and regional emission sources. The combined effect of regional transport and local emissions on multiday haze was investigated through a synthetic analysis of PM_2. 5 sampled at both an urban site in Seoul, South Korea and an upwind background site on Deokjeok Island over the Yellow Sea during a severe multiday haze episode in late February 2014. Inorganic components and carbonaceous species of daily PM_2. 5 samples were measured, and gaseous pollutants, local meteorological factors, and synoptic meteorological conditions were also determined. A dominance of fine-mode particles (PM_2. 5 ∕ PM₁₀ ∼ 0.8), a large secondary inorganic fraction (76 %), high OC ∕ EC (> 7), and highly oxidized aerosols (oxygen-to-carbon ratio of ∼ 0.6 and organic-mass-to-carbon ratio of ∼ 1.9) under relatively warm, humid, and stagnant conditions characterize the multiday haze episode in Seoul; however, the early and late stages of the episode show different chemical compositions of PM_2. 5. High concentrations of sulfate in both Seoul and the upwind background in the early stage suggest a significant regional influence on the onset of the multiday haze. At the same time, high concentrations of nitrate and organic compounds in Seoul, which are local and highly correlated with meteorological factors, suggest the contribution of local emissions and secondary formation under stagnant meteorological conditions to the haze. A slow eastward-moving high-pressure system from southern China to the East China Sea induces the regional transport of aerosols and potential gaseous precursors for secondary aerosols from the North China Plain in the early stage but provides stagnant conditions conducive to the accumulation and the local formation of aerosols in the late stage. A blocking ridge over Alaska that developed during the episode hinders the zonal propagation of synoptic-scale systems and extends the haze period to several days. This study provides chemical insights into haze development sequentially by regional transport and local sources, and shows that the synoptic condition plays an important role in the dynamical evolution of long-lasting haze in the Asian continental outflow region.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of surface ozone (O₃) variations over South Korea are investigated with consideration of meteorological factors and timescales based on the Kolmogorov–Zurbenko filter (KZ filter), using measurement data at 124 air quality monitoring sites and 72 weather stations for the 12 yr period of 1999–2010. In general, O₃ levels at coastal cities are high due to dynamic effects of the sea breeze while those at the inland and Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) cities are low due to the NO_x titration by local precursor emissions. We examine the meteorological influences on O₃ using a combined analysis of the KZ filter and linear regressions between O₃ and meteorological variables. We decomposed O₃ time series at each site into short-term, seasonal, and long-term components by the KZ filter and regressed on meteorological variables. Impact of temperature on the O₃ levels is significantly high in the highly populated SMA and inland region, but low in the coastal region. In particular, the probability of high O₃ occurrence doubles with 4 °C of temperature increase in the SMA during high O₃ months (May–October). This implies that those regions will experience frequent high O₃ events in a future warming climate. In terms of short-term variation, the distribution of high O₃ probability classified by wind direction shows the effect of both local precursor emissions and long-range transport from China. In terms of long-term variation, the O₃ concentrations have increased by +0.26 ppbv yr⁻¹ (parts per billion by volume) on nationwide average, but their trends show large spatial variability. Singular value decomposition analyses further reveal that the long-term temporal evolution of O₃ is similar to that of nitrogen dioxide, although the spatial distribution of their trends is different. This study will be helpful as a reference for diagnostics and evaluation of regional- and local-scale O₃ and climate simulations, and as a guide to appropriate O₃ control policy in South Korea.

Due to the implementation of air pollution control measures in China, air quality has significantly improved, although there are still additional issues to be addressed. This study used the long-term trends of air pollutants to discuss the achievements and challenges in further improving air quality in China. The Kolmogorov-Zurbenko (KZ) filter and multiple-linear regression (MLR) were used to quantify the meteorology-related and emission-related trends of air pollutants from 2014 to 2022 in China. The KZ filter analysis showed that PM_2.5 decreased by 7.36 ± 2.92% yr^-1, while daily maximum 8-h ozone (MDA8 O₃) showed an increasing trend with 3.71 ± 2.89% yr^-1 in China. The decrease in PM_2.5 and increase in MDA8 O₃ were primarily attributed to changes in emission, with the relative contribution of 85.8% and 86.0%, respectively. Meteorology variations, including increased ambient temperature, boundary layer height, and reduced relative humidity, also contributed to the reduction of PM_2.5 and the enhancement of MDA8 O₃. The emission-related trends of PM_2.5 and MDA8 O₃ exhibited continuous decrease and increase, respectively, from 2014 to 2022, while the variation rates slowed during 2018-2020 compared to that during 2014-2017, highlighting the challenges in further improving air quality, particularly in simultaneously reducing PM_2.5 and O₃. This study recommends reducing NH₃ emissions from the agriculture sector in rural areas and transport emissions in urban areas to further decrease PM_2.5 levels. Addressing O₃ pollution requires the reduction of O₃ precursor gases based on site-specific atmospheric chemistry considerations.

Giant particles transported over long distances are generally of limited concern in atmospheric studies due to their low number concentrations in mineral dust and possible local origin. However, they can play an important role in regional circulation of earth materials due to their enormous volume concentration. Asian dust laden with giant particles was observed in Korea on 31 March 2012, after a migration of about 2000 km across the Yellow Sea from the Gobi Desert. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that 20% of the particles exceeded 10 μm in equivalent sphere diameter, with a maximum of 60 μm. The median diameter from the number distribution was 5.7 μm, which was larger than the diameters recorded of 2.5 and 2.9 μm in Asian dust storms in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and was consistent with independent optical particle counter data. Giant particles (>10 μm) contributed about 89% of the volume of the dust in the 2012 storm. Illite–smectite series clay minerals were the major mineral group followed by quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, and calcite. The total phyllosilicate content was ~52%. The direct long-range transport of giant particles was confirmed by calcite nanofibers closely associated with clays in a submicron scale identified by high-resolution SEM and transmission electron microscopy. Since giant particles consisted of clay agglomerates and clay-coated quartz, feldspars, and micas, the mineral composition varied little throughout the fine (20 μm) size bins. Analysis of the synoptic conditions of the 2012 dust event and its migration indicated that the mid-tropospheric strong wind belt directly stretching to Korea induced rapid transport of the dust, delivering giant particles. Giant dust particles with high settling velocity would be the major input into the terrestrial and marine sedimentary and ecological systems of East Asia and the western Pacific. Analysis of ancient aeolian deposits in Korea suggested the common deposition of giant particles from Asian dust through the late Quaternary Period. The roles of giant particles should be reviewed with regard to regional circulation of mineral particles and nutrients.