The Korea–United States Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) field study

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Authors

• James H. Crawford, NASA Langley Research Center
• Joon-Youg Ahn, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Jassim Al-Saadi, NASA Langley Research Center
• Limseok Chang, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Louisa K. Emmons, National Center for Atmospheric Research
• Jhoon Kim, National Center for Atmospheric Research
• Gangwoong Lee, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
• Jeong-Hoo Park, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Rokjin J. Park, Seoul National University
• Jung Hun Woo, Konkuk University
• Chang-Keun Song, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
• Ji-Hyung Hong, National Institute of Environmental Research
• You-Deog Hong, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Barry L. Lefer, NASA Headquarters
• Meehye Lee, Korea University
• Taehyoung Lee, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
• Saewung Kim, University of California
• Kyung-Eun Min, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology
• Seong Soo Yum, Yonsei University
• Hye Jung Shin, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Young-Woo Kim, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Jin-Soo Choi, National Institute of Environmental Research
• Jin-Soo Park, National Institute of Environmental Research
• James J. Szykman, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Russell W. Long, US Environmental Protection Agency
• Carolyn E. Jordan, NASA Langley Research Center
• Isobel J. Simpson, University of California, Irvine
• Alan Fried, University of Colorado
• Jack E. Dibb, University of New HampshireFollow
• SeogYeon Cho, Inha University
• Yong Pyo Kim, Ewha Womans University

Abstract

The Korea–United States Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) field study was conducted during May–June 2016. The effort was jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Research of South Korea and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States. KORUS-AQ offered an unprecedented, multi-perspective view of air quality conditions in South Korea by employing observations from three aircraft, an extensive ground-based network, and three ships along with an array of air quality forecast models. Information gathered during the study is contributing to an improved understanding of the factors controlling air quality in South Korea. The study also provided a valuable test bed for future air quality–observing strategies involving geostationary satellite instruments being launched by both countries to examine air quality throughout the day over Asia and North America. This article presents details on the KORUS-AQ observational assets, study execution, data products, and air quality conditions observed during the study. High-level findings from companion papers in this special issue are also summarized and discussed in relation to the factors controlling fine particle and ozone pollution, current emissions and source apportionment, and expectations for the role of satellite observations in the future. Resulting policy recommendations and advice regarding plans going forward are summarized. These results provide an important update to early feedback previously provided in a Rapid Science Synthesis Report produced for South Korean policy makers in 2017 and form the basis for the Final Science Synthesis Report delivered in 2020.

Department

Earth Systems Research Center

Publication Date

5-12-2021

Journal Title

Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene

Publisher

University of California Press

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://dx.doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2020.00163

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Crawford, J. H., J.-Y. Ahn, J. Al-Saadi, L. Chang, L. K. Emmons, J. Kim. G. Lee, J.-H. Park, R. J. Park, J. H. Woo, C.-K. Song, J.-H. Hong, Y.-D. Hong, B. L. Lefer, M. Lee, T. Lee, S. Kim, K.-E. Min, S. S. Yum, H. J. Shin, Y.-W. Kim, J.-S. Choi, J.-S. Park, J. J. Szykman, R. W. Long, C. E. Jordan, I. J. Simpson, A. Fried, J. E. Dibb, S. Y. Cho, and Y. P. Kim (2021), The Korea-United States air quality (KORUS-AQ) field study, Elementa Science of the Anthropocene, 9, 1. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2020.00163.

Comments

This is an open access article published by University of California Press in 2021 in Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2020.00163