Variability of Atmospheric Radon‐222 and Secondary Aerosol Components in Accordance with Air Mass Transport Pathways at Jeju Island, Korea, during 2011–2014. (19th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bu, Jun‐Oh; Song, Jung‐Min; Kim, Won‐Hyung; Kang, Chang‐Hee; Chambers, Scott D.; Williams, Alastair G.; Lee, Chulkyu
• Is Part Of: Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society. Volume 37:Number 6(2016)
• Page Start: 841
• Page End: 846
• Publication Date: 2016-05-19
• Subjects: Radon‐222 -- PM10 -- Secondary aerosol component -- Air mass pathway -- Gosan station; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1002/bkcs.10784
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0253-2964

Abstract

Abstract : Real‐time monitoring of hourly atmospheric Radon‐222 concentration and three daily monitoring of the secondary aerosol components of PM10 were performed throughout 2011–2014 at Gosan station, Jeju Island, in order to characterize their background levels and temporal variation. The annual mean radon and PM10 mass concentrations were 2326 ± 1198 mBq/m 3 and 37.1 ± 19.5 µg/m 3, respectively. Based on cluster analyses of air mass back trajectories, the frequencies of air masses originating from continental China, the Korean Peninsula, and North Pacific Ocean routes were 53, 28, and 19%, respectively. When the air masses were transported to Jeju Island from continental China, the concentrations of radon and secondary aerosol components (nss‐SO4 2 −, NO3 −, NH4 + ) were relatively high: 2577 mBq/m 3 and 14.4 µg/m 3, respectively. In cases when the air masses have moved from the Korean Peninsula, the corresponding concentrations were 2247 mBq/m 3 and 11.4 µg/m 3, respectively. On the other hand, when the air masses came from the North Pacific Ocean, their radon and secondary aerosol concentrations decreased much further, 1372 mBq/m 3 and 10.5 µg/m 3, respectively. Consequently, the variability of atmospheric radon concentrations at Gosan station might be characterized by synoptic changes in air mass fetch as well as diurnal changes in atmospheric mixing depth. Abstract :