Cluster Analysis of PM10 Concentrations from Urban Air Monitoring Network in Korea during 2000 to 2005

Variations in PM10 concentration between 2000 and 2005 from 84 urban air monitoring stations operated by the government were analyzed. The K-means cluster analysis was attempted using annual average and the 99th percentile of daily averages as parameters. The results obtained by excluding Asian dust episode days were compared with those obtained by using all available data. In any cases, the cluster with the highest mean concentration was mostly composed of stations in Seoul and Gyeonggi. Annual average of the cluster with the highest mean concentration showed a distinct decreasing trend, but that excluding Asian dust episode days did not show such a trend. Without Asian dust episode days high concentrations of monthly averages in March and April were also not observed. The effect of Asian dust was more pronounced in the 99th percentile of daily averages. The 99th percentile of daily averages of the cluster with the highest mean concentration was the highest in June following downs in April and May.