Impact of Meteorological Conditions on the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in Seoul

Meteorological conditions regulate particulate matter concentrations near the earth surface. This study investigates the impacts of meteorological conditions (yellow-dust events, wind-speed, relative humidity, days after rainfall, solar duration, downward short-wave radiation, and diurnal temperature range) on particulate matter concentration less than 10 ㎛ (PM10) and less than 2.5 ㎛ (PM2.5) and their ratio (PM2.5/PM10) by analyzing five years (2015-2019) of in-situ surface observations in Seoul. Our results show apparent impacts of meteorological conditions on PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations and their ratio: 1) decrease in PM2.5/PM10 during yellow-dust events, 2) negative (positive) relationships of PM2.5 and PM2.5/PM10 with wind-speed (relative humidity), and 3) increase in PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations with elapsed days after rainfall.