Aerosol optical depth during episodes of Asian dust storms and biomass burning at Kwangju, South Korea

Spectral daily aerosol optical depths (τaλ) estimated from a multi-filter radiometer over Kwangju were analyzed from January 1999 to August 2001 (total of 277 days). Optical depths obtained showed a pronounced temporal trend, with maximum dust loading observed during spring time and biomass burning aerosol in early summer and autumn of each year. Result indicates that τa501 nm increased from spring average of 0.45±0.02 to values >0.7 on 7 April 2000, and 13 April 2001. Daily mean spectral variations in the Ångström exponents α were also computed for various episode periods under consideration. A dramatic change in α value is noted especially at high aerosol optical depth when coarse mode aerosol dominates over the influence of accumulation-mode aerosol. High values of τaλ associated with high values of α in early June and October are characteristics of smoke aerosol predominantly from biomass burning aerosol. Also, volume size distribution is investigated for different pollution episodes with result indicating that the peak in the distribution of the coarse mode volume radius and fine mode particles of dust and biomass-burning aerosol respectively increases as aerosol optical depth increases at Kwangju. Air-mass trajectory were developed on 7–8 April and 19–20 October, 2000 to explain the transport of Asian dust particle and biomass burning to Kwangju.