Impact of Varying Wind Patterns on PM10 Concentrations in the Seoul Metropolitan Area in South Korea from 2012 to 2016

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, we classify wind patterns that impacted PM10 concentrations in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), South Korea, from 2012 to 2016 and analyze their contributions to annual variability in particulate matter smaller than 10 μm in diameter (PM10). Using a k-means clustering analysis, we identify major wind patterns affecting PM10 concentrations from 2002 to 2016. We confirm that the impact of wind pattern changes on PM10 variability in the SMA from 2012 to 2016 was relatively greater than the impact from 2002 to 2011. We find that PM10 from 2012 to 2016 was mainly affected by wind patterns that were 1) associated with the transport of foreign emissions (our clusters H2, H4, and H5) and 2) favorable for ventilation (our clusters L1 and L2). This finding shows that PM10 variability was determined by overall variations in the respective wind patterns particularly associated with high (over 80 μg m−3) and low (below 30 μg m−3) PM10 concentrations. The results from 2012 to 2016 CMAQ simulations indicate that the effects of meteorological conditions (e.g., wind, temperature, humidity, and so on) on PM10 vary from year to year. The calculated PM10 anomalies from 2012 to 2016 were −4.97, 3.55, 1.73, 0.15, and −0.46 μg m−3, suggesting that the wind patterns in 2012 produced the least PM10 and those in 2013 produced the most.