After earning his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from Seoul National University (SNU), South Korea, in 2005, Sang-Woo Kim pursued postdoctoral work at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE). He is currently a Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at SNU. His research focuses on atmospheric aerosols and clouds, studying their optical, physical, and radiative properties, as well as their climate effects, using both in-situ and remote sensing measurements. He has co-authored approximately 160 publications (GS h-index ~43), and his expertise is recognized internationally, as he serves on several global committees. He is a member of various international activities, including the Aerosol Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) of the WMO Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) Program, a co-chair of the Pandora Asia Network (PAN), and a steering committee member of MIRA (Models, In situ, and Remote sensing of Aerosols). He is the recipient of several awards, including a Commendation from the Minister of Science and ICT in 2021, an Excellent Research Award from SNU (2019), the Wol-bong Academic Award from the Korea Meteorological Society (2018), the Prime Minister's Citation, awarded by the Prime Minister of Korea (2018), and the Science and Technology Excellent Paper Award from the Korean Federation of Science & Technology Societies (2016).
Climatic Impacts of Light-Absorbing Atmospheric Aerosols in East Asain Outflow: Key findings from Two Decades of Observations
Effects of high levels of East Asian black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) aerosols on regional climate warming through solar radiation absorption remain inadequately quantified due to uncertainties in their emissions and complicated aging processes. In this study, we present the light-absorption properties and their contribution to atmospheric warming of BC and BrC in Asian outflow using in-situ, remote sensing, and airborne observations spanning two decades. Key information is obtained from the Gosan Climate Observatory (GCO); strategically located on Jeju Island to intercept the integrated outflow from major emission regions in East Asia. Distinct seasonal variability of the mass-absorption cross section (MAC) of BC (MACBC) at GCO was attributable to the coating enhancement by mixing with non-absorbing aerosols, showing elevated MACBC values in seasons with high inorganic ions to elemental carbon ratio. Compared to polluted areas, MACBC and MACBrC at GCO were lower, attributed to reduced coagulation processes, partial evaporation of coating materials under dry atmospheric conditions, and BrC coating during long-range transport. BrC also underwent photo-bleaching during transport, leading to decreased MACBrC at GCO. Airborne observations indicated an absorption enhancement of BC was about 1.5 over the Korean Peninsula, approximately 30% lower than climate models and lab experiments, suggesting a smaller increase in BC absorption due to coatings compared to previous estimations, with organics primarily responsible for the lensing effect of BC rather than sulfates. Meanwhile, BC and BrC were estimated to contribute 85-88% and 12-15%, respectively, to total aerosol absorption, with BrC contribution higher at GCO than in polluted cities in China. In the columnar atmosphere, BC contributed more to aerosol absorption in polluted areas, while BrC contribution increased in background sites in East Asia. It is imperative to evaluate how incorporating the light-absorption properties and aging processes of BC and BrC, elucidated from two decades of observations, influences the radiation budget and cloud formation within climate models. Furthermore, investigating the aerosol-induced surface brightening resulting from the unmasking effect under reductions in light-absorbing aerosol emissions due to sustained air pollution control measures is necessary.
