Verification of NO_x emission inventories over North Korea

In this study, the top-down NO_x emissions estimated from satellite observations of NO₂ vertical column densities over North Korea from 1996 to 2009 were analyzed. Also, a bottom-up NO_x emission inventory from REAS 1.1 from 1980 to 2005 was analyzed with several statistics. REAS 1.1 was in good agreement with the top-down approach for both trend and amount. The characteristics of NO_x emissions in North Korea were quite different from other developed countries including South Korea. In North Korea, emissions from industry sector was the highest followed by transportation sector in the 1980s. However, after 1990, the NO_x emissions from other sector, mainly agriculture, became the 2nd highest. Also, no emission centers such as urban areas or industrial areas were distinctively observed. Finally, the monthly NO_x emissions were high during the warm season.