Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI
<p>The aim of this paper is to highlight how TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) trace gas data can best be used and interpreted to understand event-based impacts on air quality from regional to city scales around the globe. For this study, we present the observed changes in the atmos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/10319/2022/acp-22-10319-2022.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811216501194096640 |
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| author | P. F. Levelt P. F. Levelt D. C. Stein Zweers I. Aben M. Bauwens T. Borsdorff I. De Smedt H. J. Eskes C. Lerot D. G. Loyola F. Romahn T. Stavrakou N. Theys M. Van Roozendael J. P. Veefkind J. P. Veefkind T. Verhoelst |
| author_facet | P. F. Levelt P. F. Levelt D. C. Stein Zweers I. Aben M. Bauwens T. Borsdorff I. De Smedt H. J. Eskes C. Lerot D. G. Loyola F. Romahn T. Stavrakou N. Theys M. Van Roozendael J. P. Veefkind J. P. Veefkind T. Verhoelst |
| author_sort | P. F. Levelt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The aim of this paper is to highlight how TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) trace
gas data can best be used and interpreted to understand event-based impacts
on air quality from regional to city scales around the globe. For this
study, we present the observed changes in the atmospheric column amounts of
five trace gases (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>, SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>, CO, HCHO, and CHOCHO) detected by the
Sentinel-5P TROPOMI instrument and driven by reductions in anthropogenic
emissions due to COVID-19 lockdown measures in 2020. We report clear
COVID-19-related decreases in TROPOMI NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> column amounts on all
continents. For megacities, reductions in column amounts of tropospheric
NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> range between 14 % and 63 %. For China and India, supported by
NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> observations, where the primary source of anthropogenic SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> is
coal-fired power generation, we were able to detect sector-specific emission
changes using the SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> data. For HCHO and CHOCHO, we consistently
observe anthropogenic changes in 2-week-averaged column amounts over China
and India during the early phases of the lockdown periods. That these
variations over such a short timescale are detectable from space is due to
the high resolution and improved sensitivity of the TROPOMI instrument. For
CO, we observe a small reduction over China, which is in concert with the
other trace gas reductions observed during lockdown; however, large
interannual differences prevent firm conclusions from being drawn. The joint
analysis of COVID-19-lockdown-driven reductions in satellite-observed trace
gas column amounts using the latest operational and scientific retrieval
techniques for five species concomitantly is unprecedented. However, the
meteorologically and seasonally driven variability of the five trace gases
does not allow for drawing fully quantitative conclusions on the reduction
in anthropogenic emissions based on TROPOMI observations alone. We
anticipate that in future the combined use of inverse modeling techniques
with the high spatial resolution data from S5P/TROPOMI for all observed
trace gases presented here will yield a significantly improved
sector-specific, space-based analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown
measures as compared to other existing satellite observations. Such analyses
will further enhance the scientific impact and societal relevance of the
TROPOMI mission.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:40:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-333b8d03fbe6489485491cc6b7a0ecb9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:40:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-333b8d03fbe6489485491cc6b7a0ecb92022-12-22T03:43:45ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242022-08-0122103191035110.5194/acp-22-10319-2022Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMIP. F. Levelt0P. F. Levelt1D. C. Stein Zweers2I. Aben3M. Bauwens4T. Borsdorff5I. De Smedt6H. J. Eskes7C. Lerot8D. G. Loyola9F. Romahn10T. Stavrakou11N. Theys12M. Van Roozendael13J. P. Veefkind14J. P. Veefkind15T. Verhoelst16Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, 3731 GA, the NetherlandsUniversity of Technology Delft (TU Delft), Delft, 2628 CN, the NetherlandsRoyal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, 3731 GA, the NetherlandsNetherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), Utrecht, 3584 CA, the NetherlandsRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumNetherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), Utrecht, 3584 CA, the NetherlandsRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumRoyal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, 3731 GA, the NetherlandsRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, GermanyGerman Aerospace Centre (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, GermanyRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, BelgiumRoyal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), De Bilt, 3731 GA, the NetherlandsUniversity of Technology Delft (TU Delft), Delft, 2628 CN, the NetherlandsRoyal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, 1180, Belgium<p>The aim of this paper is to highlight how TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) trace gas data can best be used and interpreted to understand event-based impacts on air quality from regional to city scales around the globe. For this study, we present the observed changes in the atmospheric column amounts of five trace gases (NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>, SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span>, CO, HCHO, and CHOCHO) detected by the Sentinel-5P TROPOMI instrument and driven by reductions in anthropogenic emissions due to COVID-19 lockdown measures in 2020. We report clear COVID-19-related decreases in TROPOMI NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> column amounts on all continents. For megacities, reductions in column amounts of tropospheric NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> range between 14 % and 63 %. For China and India, supported by NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> observations, where the primary source of anthropogenic SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> is coal-fired power generation, we were able to detect sector-specific emission changes using the SO<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2</sub></span> data. For HCHO and CHOCHO, we consistently observe anthropogenic changes in 2-week-averaged column amounts over China and India during the early phases of the lockdown periods. That these variations over such a short timescale are detectable from space is due to the high resolution and improved sensitivity of the TROPOMI instrument. For CO, we observe a small reduction over China, which is in concert with the other trace gas reductions observed during lockdown; however, large interannual differences prevent firm conclusions from being drawn. The joint analysis of COVID-19-lockdown-driven reductions in satellite-observed trace gas column amounts using the latest operational and scientific retrieval techniques for five species concomitantly is unprecedented. However, the meteorologically and seasonally driven variability of the five trace gases does not allow for drawing fully quantitative conclusions on the reduction in anthropogenic emissions based on TROPOMI observations alone. We anticipate that in future the combined use of inverse modeling techniques with the high spatial resolution data from S5P/TROPOMI for all observed trace gases presented here will yield a significantly improved sector-specific, space-based analysis of the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures as compared to other existing satellite observations. Such analyses will further enhance the scientific impact and societal relevance of the TROPOMI mission.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/10319/2022/acp-22-10319-2022.pdf |
| spellingShingle | P. F. Levelt P. F. Levelt D. C. Stein Zweers I. Aben M. Bauwens T. Borsdorff I. De Smedt H. J. Eskes C. Lerot D. G. Loyola F. Romahn T. Stavrakou N. Theys M. Van Roozendael J. P. Veefkind J. P. Veefkind T. Verhoelst Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI |
| title_full | Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI |
| title_fullStr | Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI |
| title_full_unstemmed | Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI |
| title_short | Air quality impacts of COVID-19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI |
| title_sort | air quality impacts of covid 19 lockdown measures detected from space using high spatial resolution observations of multiple trace gases from sentinel 5p tropomi |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/10319/2022/acp-22-10319-2022.pdf |
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