Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea
This study aims to present the atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> levels and analyze their source characteristics at an observation station in a northeastern highland area of Korea for the 2012–2014 period. We summarized the measured CO<sub>2</sub> and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/5/509 |
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| author | Hyeon-Kook Kim Chang-Keun Song Sung-Chul Hong Myung-Hwan Shin Jeonghyeon Seo Sang-Kyun Kim Youngsook Lyu |
| author_facet | Hyeon-Kook Kim Chang-Keun Song Sung-Chul Hong Myung-Hwan Shin Jeonghyeon Seo Sang-Kyun Kim Youngsook Lyu |
| author_sort | Hyeon-Kook Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to present the atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> levels and analyze their source characteristics at an observation station in a northeastern highland area of Korea for the 2012–2014 period. We summarized the measured CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations for the 2012–2014 period. In addition, we characterized the major source of the rise of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in Ganseong (GS) by employing bivariate polar plots (BPP) and the concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) method together with currently available information on emission sources. For the three years, CO<sub>2</sub> was generally high in the order of winter, spring, autumn and summer and CH<sub>4</sub> high in the order of winter, autumn, spring and summer. The observed positive correlations between the hourly CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in every season suggested the possibility of shared common emission sources, but there is a necessity for elucidation on this in the future. The BPP analysis indicated the local sources that are likely to be associated with the rise of greenhouse gases (GHGs) observed at GS (combustion in the village, plant respirations nearby GS, and mobile emissions on the nearby road for CO<sub>2</sub> and leakages from the gas stations along the road and agricultural activities for CH<sub>4</sub>). Synthesizing the CWT results together with emission source information from national and global emission inventories, we identified likely major source areas and characterized major emission sources. For example, the identified major sources for the winter CO<sub>2</sub> are coal combustion, coal washing and industrial activities in Inner Mongolia, northern and the northeastern China, fuel burning for the energy for the infrastructure of a northwestern city in South Korea, and the manufacturing industry and fuel combustion in the northern parts of North Korea. Hopefully, these kinds of results will aid environmental researchers and decision-makers in performing more in-depth studies for GHG sources in order to derive effective mitigation strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:49:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ac3ed942cd5d43ba8427be136a244cc8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:49:52Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-ac3ed942cd5d43ba8427be136a244cc82023-11-20T00:31:48ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332020-05-0111550910.3390/atmos11050509Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South KoreaHyeon-Kook Kim0Chang-Keun Song1Sung-Chul Hong2Myung-Hwan Shin3Jeonghyeon Seo4Sang-Kyun Kim5Youngsook Lyu6School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, KoreaSchool of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, KoreaClimate and Air Quality Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, KoreaTransportation Pollution Research Center, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, KoreaClimate and Air Quality Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, KoreaClimate and Air Quality Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, KoreaClimate and Air Quality Research Department, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, KoreaThis study aims to present the atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> levels and analyze their source characteristics at an observation station in a northeastern highland area of Korea for the 2012–2014 period. We summarized the measured CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations for the 2012–2014 period. In addition, we characterized the major source of the rise of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in Ganseong (GS) by employing bivariate polar plots (BPP) and the concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) method together with currently available information on emission sources. For the three years, CO<sub>2</sub> was generally high in the order of winter, spring, autumn and summer and CH<sub>4</sub> high in the order of winter, autumn, spring and summer. The observed positive correlations between the hourly CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in every season suggested the possibility of shared common emission sources, but there is a necessity for elucidation on this in the future. The BPP analysis indicated the local sources that are likely to be associated with the rise of greenhouse gases (GHGs) observed at GS (combustion in the village, plant respirations nearby GS, and mobile emissions on the nearby road for CO<sub>2</sub> and leakages from the gas stations along the road and agricultural activities for CH<sub>4</sub>). Synthesizing the CWT results together with emission source information from national and global emission inventories, we identified likely major source areas and characterized major emission sources. For example, the identified major sources for the winter CO<sub>2</sub> are coal combustion, coal washing and industrial activities in Inner Mongolia, northern and the northeastern China, fuel burning for the energy for the infrastructure of a northwestern city in South Korea, and the manufacturing industry and fuel combustion in the northern parts of North Korea. Hopefully, these kinds of results will aid environmental researchers and decision-makers in performing more in-depth studies for GHG sources in order to derive effective mitigation strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/5/509greenhouse gas measurementsGanseong Observatorybivariate polar plotemission inventoryconcentration weighted trajectorysource characterization |
| spellingShingle | Hyeon-Kook Kim Chang-Keun Song Sung-Chul Hong Myung-Hwan Shin Jeonghyeon Seo Sang-Kyun Kim Youngsook Lyu Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea Atmosphere greenhouse gas measurements Ganseong Observatory bivariate polar plot emission inventory concentration weighted trajectory source characterization |
| title | Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea |
| title_full | Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea |
| title_fullStr | Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea |
| title_short | Source Characteristics of Atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> in a Northeastern Highland Area of South Korea |
| title_sort | source characteristics of atmospheric co sub 2 sub and ch sub 4 sub in a northeastern highland area of south korea |
| topic | greenhouse gas measurements Ganseong Observatory bivariate polar plot emission inventory concentration weighted trajectory source characterization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/5/509 |
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