Latitudinal distribution and sources analysis of greenhouse gases and air pollutants observed during the 2021 Yellow Sea Air Quality campaign aboard a research vessel

Abstract

The Yellow Sea serves as a pathway for air pollution transport from the Asian continent into Korea and is annually monitored by the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) research vessel during the spring season. This study investigated the spatio-temporal variation of long-range transported greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) and air pollutants (CO, NOx, SO2, O3) in the Yellow Sea during the Yellow Sea Air Quality (YES-AQ) campaign. Our analysis reveals that GHGs and air pollutants exhibit a clear latitudinal distribution. Lower concentrations are observed in the range of 31.2–34.5°N, primarily influenced by air masses traversing the ocean and the western part of Korean Peninsula. In contrast, higher concentrations occur more frequently at 34.5–37.8°N, primarily affected by continental air masses. The regression slopes of CO and CO2 vary depending on regional characteristics, particularly in air originating from Korea and China. Regression slope analysis between CO, CO2, and CH4, except for high plume of CH4 (>2.05 ppm), indicates that fossil fuel sources play a significant role. A high plume of CH4 (>2.05 ppm) was observed on April 22nd, coinciding with the maximum O3 concentrations during the period of highest temperatures throughout the voyage. The potential source regions were identified in the west-southern coast of Korea, using footprint analysis from Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) and column-averaged dry-air mole fraction of CH4 (XCH4) retrieval from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard the Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P) satellite. The high CH4 enhancements are most likely due to biogenic emissions triggered by favorable near-surface temperatures for microbial activities in soil. Furthermore, the high CH4 enhancements were not correlated with CO and CO2, indicating that the source was not related to fossil fuel combustion. On March 29–30, a high plume of NOx was detected and is likely attributed to the Bohai Sea, which is located just above the Yellow Sea and surrounded by highly industrialized and semi-enclosed areas.