The characteristics of meteorological conditions related to changes in atmospheric environment on Jeju Island were
investigated during recent years (2010-2012). This analysis was performed using the hourly observed data of
meteorological variables (air temperature, wind speed and direction) and air pollutants (O3, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO).
Out of 5 pollutants, O3 and PM10 concentrations have frequently exceeded national environmental standards in the study
area during the study period, with relatively higher concentrations than the others. The concentrations of O3 and PM10 in
2010 and 2011 were somewhat higher than those in 2012, and their highest concentrations were mostly observed in
spring followed by fall. Nighttime O3 concentrations (with relatively high concentration levels) were almost similar to
its daytime concentrations, due to less O3 titration by very low NO concentrations in the target area and in part to O3
increase resulting from atmospheric transport processes. The transport effect related to the concentration variations of O3
and PM10 was also clarified in correlation between these pollutants and meteorological variables, e.g. the high
exceedance frequency of concentration criteria with strong wind speed and the high concentrations with the
westerly/northwesterly winds (e.g., transport from the polluted regions of China). The overall results of this study
suggest that the changes in atmospheric environment in the study area were likely to be caused by the transport effect
(horizontal and vertical) due to the meteorological conditions rather than the contribution of local emission sources.
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