KORUS-AQ: Air Quality Measurements from the R/V Onnuri Research Ship

KORUS-AQ field study data was collected in South Korea during May-June 2016. This dataset from the R/V Onnuri features in-situ trace gas measurements and absorption coefficient spectra, contributing to a multi-platform campaign involving 16 ground sites, 2 ships, and 3 aircraft. The study's primary objectives were to investigate factors controlling Korean air quality and assess future satellite-based observing strategies.

Use Cases

• Analyzing marine boundary layer pollution transport based on ship-based trace gas and aerosol measurements.
• Validating satellite-derived column densities of NO2, O3, and HCHO using coordinated surface and airborne observations.
• Studying vertical pollutant profiles up to 8 km using merged data from aircraft platforms like the NASA DC-8.
• Investigating local emissions versus transboundary transport using FLEXPART backtrajectory products for flight and ship tracks.

Strengths

• Data originates from a major, internationally coordinated field campaign jointly sponsored by NASA and Korea's NIER.
• Campaign employed a highly coordinated sampling strategy across multiple platforms (aircraft, ships, ground sites) for spatial and vertical profiling.
• Dataset includes pre-generated merge files combining various instrument products, facilitating integrated analysis.

Limitations

• Critical metadata is missing: column names, row counts, and file sizes are listed as 'unknown' or 'None' across all platform entries.
• A conflict exists in the 'last updated' metadata, with dates ranging from 2016 to a future date of 2026-04-10, casting doubt on provenance tracking.
• The specific license is only generically noted as 'other-license-specified', requiring users to seek out precise terms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in collaboration with Korea's National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER).

Collection Method

In-situ and remote sensing measurements collected onboard the Research Vessel Onnuri during the KORUS-AQ field campaign.

Time Range

May-June 2016

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict; the most recent listed is 2026-04-10, but a 2016 date also appears.

Geography

South Korean peninsula and surrounding waters, with a primary focus on the Seoul Metropolitan Area.