Study on the influence of the origin region on the relationship between carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in South Korea

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the main cause of climate change, and their concentrations are steadily increasing due to continuous emissions from anthropogenic activities. To establish effective carbon emission reduction policies and mitigate climate change, monitoring changes in atmospheric GHG concentrations and identifying their origin regions is essential. In this study, we analyzed the regional characteristics of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) at the Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) stations (AMY, GSN, and ULD) in South Korea and investigated regional differences in the relationship between the two substances. We also explored the relationship between the regional differences and the source regions of greenhouse gases. The STILT mode (a Lagrangian dispersion model) and the EDGAR (an anthropogenic emission dataset) were used to identify the source regions of GHGs. The relationships (correlation coefficient and ratio) between CO₂ and CH₄ at three stations showed regional differences (GSN > ULD > AMY). It was investigated that these differences were caused by differences in the characteristics of major airflow patterns and emission sources that affect CO₂ and CH₄ concentration changes in the corresponding regions. The results of this study can help identify the causes of regional greenhouse gas concentration changes.