Black carbon aerosol reductions during COVID-19 confinement quantified by aircraft measurements over Europe

<p>The abrupt reduction in human activities during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented atmospheric conditions. To quantify the changes in lower tropospheric air pollution, we conducted the BLUESKY aircraft campaign and measured vertical profiles of black carbon (B...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: O. O. Krüger, B. A. Holanda, S. Chowdhury, A. Pozzer, D. Walter, C. Pöhlker, M. D. Andrés Hernández, J. P. Burrows, C. Voigt, J. Lelieveld, J. Quaas, U. Pöschl, M. L. Pöhlker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2022-07-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/22/8683/2022/acp-22-8683-2022.pdf
Description
Summary:<p>The abrupt reduction in human activities during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented atmospheric conditions. To quantify the changes in lower tropospheric air pollution, we conducted the BLUESKY aircraft campaign and measured vertical profiles of black carbon (BC) aerosol particles over western and southern Europe in May and June 2020. We compared the results to similar measurements of the EMeRGe EU campaign performed in July 2017 and found that the BC mass concentrations (<span class="inline-formula"><i>M</i><sub>BC</sub></span>) were reduced by about <span class="inline-formula">48 <i>%</i></span>. For BC particle number concentrations, we found comparable reductions. Based on ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) chemistry-transport model simulations, we found differences in meteorological conditions and flight patterns responsible for about <span class="inline-formula">7 <i>%</i></span> of the <span class="inline-formula"><i>M</i><sub>BC</sub></span> reductions. Accordingly <span class="inline-formula">41 <i>%</i></span> of <span class="inline-formula"><i>M</i><sub>BC</sub></span> reductions can be attributed to reduced anthropogenic emissions. Our results reflect the strong and immediate positive effect of changes in human activities on air quality and the atmospheric role of BC aerosols as a major air pollutant in the Anthropocene.</p>
ISSN:1680-7316
1680-7324