Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-323-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-323-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
08 Jan 2020
Research article |
| 08 Jan 2020
| 08 Jan 2020
The impact of improved satellite retrievals on estimates of biospheric carbon balance
Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Anna M. Michalak
Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, USA
Related authors
Hanyu Liu, Felix R. Vogel, Misa Ishizawa, Zhen Zhang, Benjamin Poulter, Doug E. J. Worthy, Leyang Feng, Anna L. Gagné-Landmann, Ao Chen, Ziting Huang, Dylan C. Gaeta, Joe R. Melton, Douglas Chan, Vineet Yadav, Deborah Huntzinger, and Scot M. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2150, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2150, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
We find that the state-of-the-art process-based methane flux models have both lower flux magnitude and reduced inter-model uncertainty compared to a previous model inter-comparison from over a decade ago. Despite these improvements, methane flux estimates from process-based models are still likely too high compared to atmospheric observations. We also find that models with simpler parameterizations often result in better agreement with atmospheric observations in high-latitude North America.
Malena Sabaté Landman, Julianne Chung, Jiahua Jiang, Scot M. Miller, and Arvind K. Saibaba
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 8853–8872, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8853-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8853-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Making an informed decision about what prior information to incorporate or discard in an inverse model is important yet very challenging, as it is often not straightforward to distinguish between informative and non-informative variables. In this study, we develop a new approach for incorporating prior information in an inverse model using predictor variables, while simultaneously selecting the relevant predictor variables for the estimation of the unknown quantity of interest.
Brendan Byrne, David F. Baker, Sourish Basu, Michael Bertolacci, Kevin W. Bowman, Dustin Carroll, Abhishek Chatterjee, Frédéric Chevallier, Philippe Ciais, Noel Cressie, David Crisp, Sean Crowell, Feng Deng, Zhu Deng, Nicholas M. Deutscher, Manvendra K. Dubey, Sha Feng, Omaira E. García, David W. T. Griffith, Benedikt Herkommer, Lei Hu, Andrew R. Jacobson, Rajesh Janardanan, Sujong Jeong, Matthew S. Johnson, Dylan B. A. Jones, Rigel Kivi, Junjie Liu, Zhiqiang Liu, Shamil Maksyutov, John B. Miller, Scot M. Miller, Isamu Morino, Justus Notholt, Tomohiro Oda, Christopher W. O'Dell, Young-Suk Oh, Hirofumi Ohyama, Prabir K. Patra, Hélène Peiro, Christof Petri, Sajeev Philip, David F. Pollard, Benjamin Poulter, Marine Remaud, Andrew Schuh, Mahesh K. Sha, Kei Shiomi, Kimberly Strong, Colm Sweeney, Yao Té, Hanqin Tian, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, John R. Worden, Debra Wunch, Yuanzhi Yao, Jeongmin Yun, Andrew Zammit-Mangion, and Ning Zeng
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 963–1004, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-963-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-963-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in the carbon stocks of terrestrial ecosystems result in emissions and removals of CO2. These can be driven by anthropogenic activities (e.g., deforestation), natural processes (e.g., fires) or in response to rising CO2 (e.g., CO2 fertilization). This paper describes a dataset of CO2 emissions and removals derived from atmospheric CO2 observations. This pilot dataset informs current capabilities and future developments towards top-down monitoring and verification systems.
Taewon Cho, Julianne Chung, Scot M. Miller, and Arvind K. Saibaba
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 5547–5565, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5547-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5547-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric inverse modeling describes the process of estimating greenhouse gas fluxes or air pollution emissions at the Earth's surface using observations of these gases collected in the atmosphere. The launch of new satellites, the expansion of surface observation networks, and a desire for more detailed maps of surface fluxes have yielded numerous computational and statistical challenges. This article describes computationally efficient methods for large-scale atmospheric inverse modeling.
Xiaoling Liu, August L. Weinbren, He Chang, Jovan M. Tadić, Marikate E. Mountain, Michael E. Trudeau, Arlyn E. Andrews, Zichong Chen, and Scot M. Miller
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4683–4696, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4683-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4683-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Observations of greenhouse gases have become far more numerous in recent years due to new satellite observations. The sheer size of these datasets makes it challenging to incorporate these data into statistical models and use these data to estimate greenhouse gas sources and sinks. In this paper, we develop an approach to reduce the size of these datasets while preserving the most information possible. We subsequently test this approach using satellite observations of carbon dioxide.
Zichong Chen, Junjie Liu, Daven K. Henze, Deborah N. Huntzinger, Kelley C. Wells, Stephen Sitch, Pierre Friedlingstein, Emilie Joetzjer, Vladislav Bastrikov, Daniel S. Goll, Vanessa Haverd, Atul K. Jain, Etsushi Kato, Sebastian Lienert, Danica L. Lombardozzi, Patrick C. McGuire, Joe R. Melton, Julia E. M. S. Nabel, Benjamin Poulter, Hanqin Tian, Andrew J. Wiltshire, Sönke Zaehle, and Scot M. Miller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6663–6680, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6663-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6663-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes atmospheric CO2 globally. We use a multiple regression and inverse model to quantify the relationships between OCO-2 and environmental drivers within individual years for 2015–2018 and within seven global biomes. Our results point to limitations of current space-based observations for inferring environmental relationships but also indicate the potential to inform key relationships that are very uncertain in process-based models.
Scot M. Miller, Arvind K. Saibaba, Michael E. Trudeau, Marikate E. Mountain, and Arlyn E. Andrews
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 1771–1785, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1771-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1771-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
New observations of greenhouse gases from satellites and aircraft provide an unprecedented window into global carbon sources and sinks. However, these new datasets also present enormous computational challenges due to the sheer number of observations. In this article, we discuss the challenges of estimating greenhouse gas source and sinks using very large atmospheric datasets and evaluate several strategies for overcoming these challenges.
Scot M. Miller, Anna M. Michalak, Vineet Yadav, and Jovan M. Tadić
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6785–6799, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6785-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6785-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes CO2 in the atmosphere globally. We evaluate the extent to which current OCO-2 observations can inform scientific understanding of the biospheric carbon balance. We find that current observations are best-equipped to constrain the biospheric carbon balance across continental or hemispheric regions and provide limited information on smaller regions.
Nils Hase, Scot M. Miller, Peter Maaß, Justus Notholt, Mathias Palm, and Thorsten Warneke
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 3695–3713, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3695-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3695-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Inverse modeling uses atmospheric measurements to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases, which are key to understand the climate system. However, the measurement information alone is typically insufficient to provide reasonable emission estimates. Additional information is required. This article applies modern mathematical inversion techniques to formulate such additional knowledge. It is a prime example of how such tools can improve the quality of estimates compared to commonly used methods.
Scot M. Miller and Anna M. Michalak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3963–3985, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3963-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3963-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We reviewed recent efforts to estimate state- and national-scale carbon dioxide and methane emissions from individual anthropogenic source sectors in the United States. State and federal greenhouse gas regulations almost always target reductions from specific source sectors, and reliable emission estimates are important to support and evaluate these policies. We also describe a number of forward-looking opportunities that would improve sector-specific estimates.
Jovan M. Tadić, Xuemei Qiu, Scot Miller, and Anna M. Michalak
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 709–720, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-709-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-709-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new method to create contiguous maps from sparse and/or noisy satellite observations. This approach could be used to produce retroactive or real-time estimates of environmental data observed by satellites which exhibit spatio-temporal autocorrelations. The method could be applied in a standalone mode or as part of a broader satellite data processing package. Maps produced in this way could then be incorporated into physical and biogeochemical models of the Earth system.
Scot M. Miller, Roisin Commane, Joe R. Melton, Arlyn E. Andrews, Joshua Benmergui, Edward J. Dlugokencky, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, Anna M. Michalak, Colm Sweeney, and Doug E. J. Worthy
Biogeosciences, 13, 1329–1339, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1329-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1329-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We use atmospheric data from the US and Canada to examine seven wetland methane flux estimates. Relative to existing estimates, we find a methane source that is smaller in magnitude with a broader seasonal cycle. Furthermore, we estimate the largest fluxes over the Hudson Bay Lowlands, a spatial distribution that differs from commonly used remote sensing estimates of wetland location.
S. M. Miller, M. N. Hayek, A. E. Andrews, I. Fung, and J. Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2903–2914, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2903-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2903-2015, 2015
S. M. Miller, A. M. Michalak, and P. J. Levi
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 303–315, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-303-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-303-2014, 2014
Hanyu Liu, Felix R. Vogel, Misa Ishizawa, Zhen Zhang, Benjamin Poulter, Doug E. J. Worthy, Leyang Feng, Anna L. Gagné-Landmann, Ao Chen, Ziting Huang, Dylan C. Gaeta, Joe R. Melton, Douglas Chan, Vineet Yadav, Deborah Huntzinger, and Scot M. Miller
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2150, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2150, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
We find that the state-of-the-art process-based methane flux models have both lower flux magnitude and reduced inter-model uncertainty compared to a previous model inter-comparison from over a decade ago. Despite these improvements, methane flux estimates from process-based models are still likely too high compared to atmospheric observations. We also find that models with simpler parameterizations often result in better agreement with atmospheric observations in high-latitude North America.
Malena Sabaté Landman, Julianne Chung, Jiahua Jiang, Scot M. Miller, and Arvind K. Saibaba
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 8853–8872, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8853-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8853-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Making an informed decision about what prior information to incorporate or discard in an inverse model is important yet very challenging, as it is often not straightforward to distinguish between informative and non-informative variables. In this study, we develop a new approach for incorporating prior information in an inverse model using predictor variables, while simultaneously selecting the relevant predictor variables for the estimation of the unknown quantity of interest.
Kelsey T. Foster, Wu Sun, Yoichi P. Shiga, Jiafu Mao, and Anna M. Michalak
Biogeosciences, 21, 869–891, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-869-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-869-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Assessing agreement between bottom-up and top-down methods across spatial scales can provide insights into the relationship between ensemble spread (difference across models) and model accuracy (difference between model estimates and reality). We find that ensemble spread is unlikely to be a good indicator of actual uncertainty in the North American carbon balance. However, models that are consistent with atmospheric constraints show stronger agreement between top-down and bottom-up estimates.
Brendan Byrne, David F. Baker, Sourish Basu, Michael Bertolacci, Kevin W. Bowman, Dustin Carroll, Abhishek Chatterjee, Frédéric Chevallier, Philippe Ciais, Noel Cressie, David Crisp, Sean Crowell, Feng Deng, Zhu Deng, Nicholas M. Deutscher, Manvendra K. Dubey, Sha Feng, Omaira E. García, David W. T. Griffith, Benedikt Herkommer, Lei Hu, Andrew R. Jacobson, Rajesh Janardanan, Sujong Jeong, Matthew S. Johnson, Dylan B. A. Jones, Rigel Kivi, Junjie Liu, Zhiqiang Liu, Shamil Maksyutov, John B. Miller, Scot M. Miller, Isamu Morino, Justus Notholt, Tomohiro Oda, Christopher W. O'Dell, Young-Suk Oh, Hirofumi Ohyama, Prabir K. Patra, Hélène Peiro, Christof Petri, Sajeev Philip, David F. Pollard, Benjamin Poulter, Marine Remaud, Andrew Schuh, Mahesh K. Sha, Kei Shiomi, Kimberly Strong, Colm Sweeney, Yao Té, Hanqin Tian, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, John R. Worden, Debra Wunch, Yuanzhi Yao, Jeongmin Yun, Andrew Zammit-Mangion, and Ning Zeng
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 963–1004, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-963-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-963-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in the carbon stocks of terrestrial ecosystems result in emissions and removals of CO2. These can be driven by anthropogenic activities (e.g., deforestation), natural processes (e.g., fires) or in response to rising CO2 (e.g., CO2 fertilization). This paper describes a dataset of CO2 emissions and removals derived from atmospheric CO2 observations. This pilot dataset informs current capabilities and future developments towards top-down monitoring and verification systems.
Taewon Cho, Julianne Chung, Scot M. Miller, and Arvind K. Saibaba
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 5547–5565, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5547-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-5547-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric inverse modeling describes the process of estimating greenhouse gas fluxes or air pollution emissions at the Earth's surface using observations of these gases collected in the atmosphere. The launch of new satellites, the expansion of surface observation networks, and a desire for more detailed maps of surface fluxes have yielded numerous computational and statistical challenges. This article describes computationally efficient methods for large-scale atmospheric inverse modeling.
Xiaoling Liu, August L. Weinbren, He Chang, Jovan M. Tadić, Marikate E. Mountain, Michael E. Trudeau, Arlyn E. Andrews, Zichong Chen, and Scot M. Miller
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4683–4696, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4683-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4683-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Observations of greenhouse gases have become far more numerous in recent years due to new satellite observations. The sheer size of these datasets makes it challenging to incorporate these data into statistical models and use these data to estimate greenhouse gas sources and sinks. In this paper, we develop an approach to reduce the size of these datasets while preserving the most information possible. We subsequently test this approach using satellite observations of carbon dioxide.
Zichong Chen, Junjie Liu, Daven K. Henze, Deborah N. Huntzinger, Kelley C. Wells, Stephen Sitch, Pierre Friedlingstein, Emilie Joetzjer, Vladislav Bastrikov, Daniel S. Goll, Vanessa Haverd, Atul K. Jain, Etsushi Kato, Sebastian Lienert, Danica L. Lombardozzi, Patrick C. McGuire, Joe R. Melton, Julia E. M. S. Nabel, Benjamin Poulter, Hanqin Tian, Andrew J. Wiltshire, Sönke Zaehle, and Scot M. Miller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 6663–6680, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6663-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-6663-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes atmospheric CO2 globally. We use a multiple regression and inverse model to quantify the relationships between OCO-2 and environmental drivers within individual years for 2015–2018 and within seven global biomes. Our results point to limitations of current space-based observations for inferring environmental relationships but also indicate the potential to inform key relationships that are very uncertain in process-based models.
Scot M. Miller, Arvind K. Saibaba, Michael E. Trudeau, Marikate E. Mountain, and Arlyn E. Andrews
Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 1771–1785, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1771-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1771-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
New observations of greenhouse gases from satellites and aircraft provide an unprecedented window into global carbon sources and sinks. However, these new datasets also present enormous computational challenges due to the sheer number of observations. In this article, we discuss the challenges of estimating greenhouse gas source and sinks using very large atmospheric datasets and evaluate several strategies for overcoming these challenges.
Peter J. Rayner, Anna M. Michalak, and Frédéric Chevallier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 19, 13911–13932, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13911-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-13911-2019, 2019
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This paper describes the methods for combining models and data to understand how nutrients and pollutants move through natural systems. The methods are analogous to the process of weather forecasting in which previous information is combined with new observations and a model to improve our knowledge of the internal state of the physical system. The methods appear highly diverse but the paper shows that they are all examples of a single underlying formalism.
Ju-Mee Ryoo, Laura T. Iraci, Tomoaki Tanaka, Josette E. Marrero, Emma L. Yates, Inez Fung, Anna M. Michalak, Jovan Tadić, Warren Gore, T. Paul Bui, Jonathan M. Dean-Day, and Cecilia S. Chang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 2949–2966, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2949-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-2949-2019, 2019
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We designed cylindrical flights and computed the emission fluxes using a kriging method and Gauss's theorem over Sacramento, California. Differences in wind treatment and background affect the emission estimates by a factor of 1.5 to 7. The effects of the vertical layer average and the vertical mass transfer on the emission estimates are found to be small, esp. local scale. The result also suggests a closed-shape flight profile can better contain total emissions than a one-sided curtain flight.
Scot M. Miller, Anna M. Michalak, Vineet Yadav, and Jovan M. Tadić
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 6785–6799, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6785-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-6785-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes CO2 in the atmosphere globally. We evaluate the extent to which current OCO-2 observations can inform scientific understanding of the biospheric carbon balance. We find that current observations are best-equipped to constrain the biospheric carbon balance across continental or hemispheric regions and provide limited information on smaller regions.
Nils Hase, Scot M. Miller, Peter Maaß, Justus Notholt, Mathias Palm, and Thorsten Warneke
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 3695–3713, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3695-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3695-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Inverse modeling uses atmospheric measurements to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases, which are key to understand the climate system. However, the measurement information alone is typically insufficient to provide reasonable emission estimates. Additional information is required. This article applies modern mathematical inversion techniques to formulate such additional knowledge. It is a prime example of how such tools can improve the quality of estimates compared to commonly used methods.
Anna M. Michalak, Nina A. Randazzo, and Frédéric Chevallier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 7405–7421, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-7405-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-7405-2017, 2017
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The use of inverse modeling for quantifying emissions of greenhouse gases is increasing. Estimates are very difficult to evaluate objectively, however, due to limited atmospheric observations and the lack of direct emissions measurements at compatible scales. Diagnostic tools have been proposed to partially circumvent these limitations. This paper presents the first systematic review of the scope and applicability of these tools for atmospheric inversions of long-lived greenhouse gases.
Scot M. Miller and Anna M. Michalak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3963–3985, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3963-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3963-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We reviewed recent efforts to estimate state- and national-scale carbon dioxide and methane emissions from individual anthropogenic source sectors in the United States. State and federal greenhouse gas regulations almost always target reductions from specific source sectors, and reliable emission estimates are important to support and evaluate these policies. We also describe a number of forward-looking opportunities that would improve sector-specific estimates.
Jovan M. Tadić, Xuemei Qiu, Scot Miller, and Anna M. Michalak
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 709–720, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-709-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-709-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new method to create contiguous maps from sparse and/or noisy satellite observations. This approach could be used to produce retroactive or real-time estimates of environmental data observed by satellites which exhibit spatio-temporal autocorrelations. The method could be applied in a standalone mode or as part of a broader satellite data processing package. Maps produced in this way could then be incorporated into physical and biogeochemical models of the Earth system.
Sander Houweling, Peter Bergamaschi, Frederic Chevallier, Martin Heimann, Thomas Kaminski, Maarten Krol, Anna M. Michalak, and Prabir Patra
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 235–256, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-235-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-235-2017, 2017
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The aim of this paper is to present an overview of inverse modeling methods, developed over the years, for estimating the global sources and sinks of the greenhouse gas methane from atmospheric measurements. It provides insight into how techniques and estimates have evolved over time, what the remaining shortcomings are, new developments, and promising future directions.
Vineet Yadav and Anna M. Michalak
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2016-204, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2016-204, 2016
Revised manuscript has not been submitted
Short summary
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Multiplication of two matrices that consists of few non-zero entries is a fundamental operation in problems that involve estimation of greenhouse gas fluxes from atmospheric measurements. To increase computational efficiency of estimating these quantities, modification of the standard matrix multiplication algorithm for multiplying these matrices is proposed in this research.
Bjorn-Gustaf J. Brooks, Ankur R. Desai, Britton B. Stephens, Anna M. Michalak, and Jakob Zscheischler
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-223, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2016-223, 2016
Manuscript not accepted for further review
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CO2 is the primary greenhouse gas, and its abundance in the atmosphere tends to increase during disturbances like drought. This paper demonstrates how CO2 measurements are combined with models to determine not only how strongly different locations influence CO2 measurement stations, but also the capacity of those measurement stations to detect drought effects. Understanding detection sensitivity will help assess what kinds of changes and turnings points can be monitored using atmospheric CO2.
Scot M. Miller, Roisin Commane, Joe R. Melton, Arlyn E. Andrews, Joshua Benmergui, Edward J. Dlugokencky, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, Anna M. Michalak, Colm Sweeney, and Doug E. J. Worthy
Biogeosciences, 13, 1329–1339, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1329-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-1329-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We use atmospheric data from the US and Canada to examine seven wetland methane flux estimates. Relative to existing estimates, we find a methane source that is smaller in magnitude with a broader seasonal cycle. Furthermore, we estimate the largest fluxes over the Hudson Bay Lowlands, a spatial distribution that differs from commonly used remote sensing estimates of wetland location.
J. M. Tadić, X. Qiu, V. Yadav, and A. M. Michalak
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 3311–3319, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3311-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-3311-2015, 2015
J. Ray, J. Lee, V. Yadav, S. Lefantzi, A. M. Michalak, and B. van Bloemen Waanders
Geosci. Model Dev., 8, 1259–1273, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-1259-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-1259-2015, 2015
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The paper presents a statistical method (shrinkage) that can be used to estimate rough emission fields, e.g., fossil fuel CO2 emissions, from measurements of concentrations. This method is demonstrated in a test case where the emissions are modeled using wavelets. We find that the method can eliminate unnecessary complexity from the wavelet model, ensures non-negativity of the emissions, is computationally efficient and is, by construction, insensitive to prior guesses of the total emission.
S. M. Miller, M. N. Hayek, A. E. Andrews, I. Fung, and J. Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 2903–2914, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2903-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-2903-2015, 2015
Y. Wei, S. Liu, D. N. Huntzinger, A. M. Michalak, N. Viovy, W. M. Post, C. R. Schwalm, K. Schaefer, A. R. Jacobson, C. Lu, H. Tian, D. M. Ricciuto, R. B. Cook, J. Mao, and X. Shi
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 2875–2893, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2875-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-2875-2014, 2014
J. Ray, V. Yadav, A. M. Michalak, B. van Bloemen Waanders, and S. A. McKenna
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 1901–1918, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1901-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-1901-2014, 2014
S. M. Miller, A. M. Michalak, and P. J. Levi
Geosci. Model Dev., 7, 303–315, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-303-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-7-303-2014, 2014
A. Chatterjee and A. M. Michalak
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 11643–11660, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11643-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-11643-2013, 2013
V. Yadav and A. M. Michalak
Geosci. Model Dev., 6, 583–590, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-6-583-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-6-583-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Gases | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Chemistry (chemical composition and reactions)
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Global Patterns and Trends in Ground-Level Ozone Chemical Formation Regimes from 1996 to 2022
Upper-tropospheric pollutants observed by MIPAS: geographic and seasonal variations
Comparing space-based to reported carbon monoxide emission estimates for Europe's iron and steel plants
Unleashing the potential of geostationary satellite observations in air quality forecasting through artificial intelligence techniques
Tropical upper-tropospheric trends in ozone and carbon monoxide (2005–2020): observational and model results
Global seasonal urban, industrial, and background NO2 estimated from TROPOMI satellite observations
Biosphere-atmosphere related processes influence trace-gas and aerosol satellite-model biases
Opposing trends in the peak and low ozone concentrations in eastern China: anthropogenic and meteorological influences
Quantifying biases in TROPESS AIRS, CrIS, and joint AIRS+OMI tropospheric ozone products using ozonesondes
Vertical profiles of global tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) obtained by cloud slicing the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI)
Opinion: Beyond global means – novel space-based approaches to indirectly constrain the concentrations of and trends and variations in the tropospheric hydroxyl radical (OH)
Estimation of diurnal emissions of CO2 from thermal power plants using spaceborne IPDA lidar
Monitoring of total and off-road NOx emissions from Canadian oil sands surface mining using the Ozone Monitoring Instrument
Increase in Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) observed by satellite in the northern hemisphere over the summers of 2008–2023, linked to an increase in wildfires
Satellite-observed relationships between land cover, burned area, and atmospheric composition over the southern Amazon
Ammonia emission estimates using CrIS satellite observations over Europe
Insights into the long-term (2005–2021) spatiotemporal evolution of summer ozone production sensitivity in the Northern Hemisphere derived with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)
Tropical tropospheric ozone distribution and trends from in situ and satellite data
Estimation of ground-level NO2 and its spatiotemporal variations in China using GEMS measurements and a nested machine learning model
Measurement Report: Diurnal Variability of NO2 and HCHO Lower Tropospheric Vertical Profiles in Southeastern Los Angeles
Investigation of the impact of satellite vertical sensitivity on long-term retrieved lower-tropospheric ozone trends
Quantifying the diurnal variation in atmospheric NO2 from Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) observations
State-wide California 2020 Carbon Dioxide Budget Estimated with OCO-2 and OCO-3 satellite data
Ammonia in the upper troposphere–lower stratosphere (UTLS): GLORIA airborne measurements for CAMS model evaluation in the Asian monsoon and in biomass burning plumes above the South Atlantic
A lightweight NO2-to-NOx conversion model for quantifying NOx emissions of point sources from NO2 satellite observations
Towards a sector-specific CO∕CO2 emission ratio: satellite-based observations of CO release from steel production in Germany
Monitoring European anthropogenic NOx emissions from space
Pyrogenic HONO seen from space: insights from global IASI observations
First evaluation of the GEMS formaldehyde product against TROPOMI and ground-based column measurements during the in-orbit test period
High-resolution mapping of nitrogen oxide emissions in large US cities from TROPOMI retrievals of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide columns
Quantifying the tropospheric ozone radiative effect and its temporal evolution in the satellite era
A satellite chronology of plumes from the April 2021 eruption of La Soufrière, St Vincent
Investigation of spatial and temporal variability in lower tropospheric ozone from RAL Space UV–Vis satellite products
Two years of satellite-based carbon dioxide emission quantification at the world's largest coal-fired power plants
Tropical tropospheric ozone and carbon monoxide distributions: characteristics, origins, and control factors, as seen by IAGOS and IASI
Investigation of the summer 2018 European ozone air pollution episodes using novel satellite data and modelling
Bridging the spatial gaps of the Ammonia Monitoring Network using satellite ammonia measurements
A roadmap to estimating agricultural ammonia volatilization over Europe using satellite observations and simulation data
Investigation of meteorological conditions and BrO during ozone depletion events in Ny-Ålesund between 2010 and 2021
Quantification of carbon monoxide emissions from African cities using TROPOMI
Nitrogen oxides emissions from selected cities in North America, Europe, and East Asia observed by the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Remotely sensed and surface measurement- derived mass-conserving inversion of daily NOx emissions and inferred combustion technologies in energy-rich northern China
Examining TROPOMI formaldehyde to nitrogen dioxide ratios in the Lake Michigan region: implications for ozone exceedances
Impact of different sources of precursors on an ozone pollution outbreak over Europe analysed with IASI+GOME2 multispectral satellite observations and model simulations
Matilda A. Pimlott, Richard J. Pope, Brian J. Kerridge, Richard Siddans, Barry G. Latter, Lucy J. Ventress, Wuhu Feng, and Martyn P. Chipperfield
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 4391–4401, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4391-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-4391-2025, 2025
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Globally, lockdowns were implemented to limit the spread of COVID-19, leading to a decrease in emissions of key air pollutants. Here, we use novel satellite data and a chemistry model to investigate the impact of the pandemic on tropospheric ozone (O3), a key pollutant, in 2020. Overall, we found substantial decreases of up to 20 %, two-thirds of which came from emission reductions, while one-third was due to a decrease in the stratospheric O3 flux into the troposphere.
Yujin J. Oak, Daniel J. Jacob, Drew C. Pendergrass, Ruijun Dang, Nadia K. Colombi, Heesung Chong, Seoyoung Lee, Su Keun Kuk, and Jhoon Kim
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 3233–3252, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3233-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-3233-2025, 2025
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We analyze 2015–2023 air quality trends in South Korea using surface and satellite observations. Primary pollutants have decreased, consistent with emissions reductions. Surface O3 continues to increase and PM2.5 has decreased overall, but the nitrate component has not. O3 and PM2.5 nitrate depend on nonlinear responses from precursor emissions. Satellite data indicate a recent shift to NOx-sensitive O3 and nitrate formation, where further NOx reductions will benefit both O3 and PM2.5 pollution.
Elise Penn, Daniel J. Jacob, Zichong Chen, James D. East, Melissa P. Sulprizio, Lori Bruhwiler, Joannes D. Maasakkers, Hannah Nesser, Zhen Qu, Yuzhong Zhang, and John Worden
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2947–2965, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2947-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2947-2025, 2025
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The hydroxyl radical (OH) destroys many air pollutants, including methane. Global-mean OH cannot be directly measured, and thus it is inferred with the methyl chloroform (MCF) proxy. MCF is decreasing, and a replacement is needed. We use satellite observations of methane in two spectral ranges as a proxy for OH. We find shortwave infrared observations can characterize yearly OH and its seasonality but not the latitudinal distribution. Thermal infrared observations add little information.
Lingxiao Lu, Jason Blake Cohen, Kai Qin, Xiaolu Li, and Qin He
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2291–2309, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2291-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2291-2025, 2025
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This study applies an approach that assimilates NO2 vertical column densities from TROPOMI in a mass-conserving manner and inverts daily NOx emissions, presented over rapidly changing regions in China. Source attribution is quantified by the local thermodynamics of the combustion temperature (NOx/NO2). Emission results identify sources which do not exist in the a priori datasets, especially medium industrial sources located next to the Yangtze River.
Amir H. Souri, Gonzalo González Abad, Glenn M. Wolfe, Tijl Verhoelst, Corinne Vigouroux, Gaia Pinardi, Steven Compernolle, Bavo Langerock, Bryan N. Duncan, and Matthew S. Johnson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2061–2086, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2061-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2061-2025, 2025
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We establish a simple yet robust relationship between ozone production rates and geophysical parameters obtained from several intensive atmospheric composition campaigns. We show that satellite remote sensing data can effectively constrain these parameters, enabling us to produce the first global maps of ozone production rates with unprecedented resolution.
Summer Joy Acker, Tracey Holloway, and Monica K. Harkey
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-226, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-226, 2025
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Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a harmful air pollutant linked to heart and lung diseases, regulated in the U.S. through annual and 1-hour standards. Most areas lack ground monitors, so satellites can help fill this gap. While past studies showed satellites capture annual NO2 patterns well, we assess their ability to reflect 1-hour pollution levels. We find satellites perform best farther from roads and in winter. TEMPO, a new satellite taking hourly measurements, improves the detection of higher NO2.
Yu Tian, Siyi Wang, and Xiaomeng Jin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-368, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-368, 2025
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We leverage over two-decade ground-based ozone observations alongside space-based observations of ozone precursors (NO2 and formaldehyde) to study the long-term evolution in ozone chemical regimes across global source regions. We find a global trend towards NOx-limited regimes, supported by increasing satellite-based HCHO/NO2 and a diminishing ozone weekend effect.
Norbert Glatthor, Gabriele P. Stiller, Thomas von Clarmann, Bernd Funke, Sylvia Kellmann, and Andrea Linden
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1175–1208, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1175-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1175-2025, 2025
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We present global upper-tropospheric distributions of the pollutants HCN, CO, C2H2, C2H6, PAN, and HCOOH, observed between 2002 and 2012 by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on the Environmental Satellite (Envisat). By comparing the spatial distributions of their volume mixing ratios and by global correlation and regression analyses, we draw conclusions on their sources, such as biomass burning, anthropogenic sources, and biogenic release.
Gijs Leguijt, Joannes D. Maasakkers, Hugo A. C. Denier van der Gon, Arjo J. Segers, Tobias Borsdorff, Ivar R. van der Velde, and Ilse Aben
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 555–574, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-555-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-555-2025, 2025
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The production of steel coincides with large emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants including carbon monoxide. European facilities are required to report their emissions, which are estimated using a variety of methods. We evaluate these estimates using carbon monoxide concentrations measured via satellite. We find generally good agreement between our values and those reported but also identify some uncertainties, showing that satellites can provide insights into these emissions.
Chengxin Zhang, Xinhan Niu, Hongyu Wu, Zhipeng Ding, Ka Lok Chan, Jhoon Kim, Thomas Wagner, and Cheng Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 759–770, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-759-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-759-2025, 2025
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This research utilizes hourly air pollution observations from the world’s first geostationary satellite to develop a spatiotemporal neural network model for full-coverage surface NO2 pollution prediction over the next 24 hours, achieving outstanding forecasting performance and efficacy. These results highlight the profound impact of geostationary satellite observations in advancing air quality forecasting models, thereby contributing to future models for health exposure to air pollution.
Lucien Froidevaux, Douglas E. Kinnison, Benjamin Gaubert, Michael J. Schwartz, Nathaniel J. Livesey, William G. Read, Charles G. Bardeen, Jerry R. Ziemke, and Ryan A. Fuller
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 597–624, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-597-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-597-2025, 2025
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We compare observed changes in ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) in the tropical upper troposphere (10–15 km altitude) for 2005–2020 to predictions from model simulations that track the evolution of natural and industrial emissions transported to this region. An increasing trend in measured upper-tropospheric O3 is well matched by model trends. We find that changes in modeled industrial CO surface emissions lead to better model agreement with observed slight decreases in upper-tropospheric CO.
Vitali Fioletov, Chris A. McLinden, Debora Griffin, Xiaoyi Zhao, and Henk Eskes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 575–596, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-575-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-575-2025, 2025
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Satellite data were used to estimate urban per capita emissions for 261 major cities worldwide. Three components in tropospheric NO2 data (background NO2, NO2 from urban sources, and NO2 from industrial point sources) were isolated, and then each of these components was analyzed separately. The largest per capita emissions were found in the Middle East and the smallest in India and southern Africa. Urban weekend emissions are 20 %–50 % less than workday emissions for all regions except China.
Emma Sands, Ruth M. Doherty, Fiona M. O'Connor, Richard J. Pope, James Weber, and Daniel P. Grosvenor
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4014, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4014, 2025
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We use satellite observations to quantify isoprene, formaldehyde and aerosol optical depth biases in UKESM1.1 and their sensitivity to process representation. The more detailed chemistry mechanism is particularly impactful by decreasing the isoprene and formaldehyde biases and reducing aerosol formation. Other processes have strong regional impacts. The new processes affect the present-day aerosol direct radiative effect (+0.17 W m-2), with implications for land use change forcing studies.
Zhuang Wang, Chune Shi, Hao Zhang, Xianguang Ji, Yizhi Zhu, Congzi Xia, Xiaoyun Sun, Xinfeng Lin, Shaowei Yan, Suyao Wang, Yuan Zhou, Chengzhi Xing, Yujia Chen, and Cheng Liu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 347–366, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-347-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-347-2025, 2025
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This study attempts to explain the surface ozone background and typical and peak trends in eastern China by combining a large number of ground-based and satellite observations. We found diametrically opposed trends in peak (decreasing) and low (increasing) ozone concentrations. Anthropogenic emissions primarily drive trends in low and peak ozone concentrations in eastern China, though meteorological effects also play a role.
Elyse A. Pennington, Gregory B. Osterman, Vivienne H. Payne, Kazuyuki Miyazaki, Kevin W. Bowman, and Jessica L. Neu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3701, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3701, 2024
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Tropospheric ozone is a harmful pollutant & powerful greenhouse gas. For satellite products to accurately quantify trends in tropospheric ozone, they must have low bias compared to a reliable source of data. This study compares 3 TROPESS satellite products – CrIS, AIRS, & AIRSOMI – to ozonesonde data. They have low global measurement bias & thus can be used to detect global tropospheric ozone trends, but the measurement bias should be considered in certain regions & time periods.
Rebekah P. Horner, Eloise A. Marais, Nana Wei, Robert G. Ryan, and Viral Shah
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13047–13064, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13047-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13047-2024, 2024
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx ≡ NO + NO2) affect tropospheric ozone and the hydroxyl radical, influencing climate and atmospheric oxidation. To address the lack of routine observations of NOx, we cloud slice satellite observations of NO2 to derive a new dataset of global vertical profiles of NO2. We evaluate our data against in situ aircraft observations and use these data to critique the contemporary understanding of tropospheric NOx, as simulated by the GEOS-Chem model.
Bryan N. Duncan, Daniel C. Anderson, Arlene M. Fiore, Joanna Joiner, Nickolay A. Krotkov, Can Li, Dylan B. Millet, Julie M. Nicely, Luke D. Oman, Jason M. St. Clair, Joshua D. Shutter, Amir H. Souri, Sarah A. Strode, Brad Weir, Glenn M. Wolfe, Helen M. Worden, and Qindan Zhu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 13001–13023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13001-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-13001-2024, 2024
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Trace gases emitted to or formed within the atmosphere may be chemically or physically removed from the atmosphere. One trace gas, the hydroxyl radical (OH), is responsible for initiating the chemical removal of many trace gases, including some greenhouse gases. Despite its importance, scientists have not been able to adequately measure OH. In this opinion piece, we discuss promising new methods to indirectly constrain OH using satellite data of trace gases that control the abundance of OH.
Xuanye Zhang, Hailong Yang, Lingbing Bu, Zengchang Fan, Wei Xiao, Binglong Chen, Lu Zhang, Sihan Liu, Zhongting Wang, Jiqiao Liu, Weibiao Chen, and Xuhui Lee
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3152, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3152, 2024
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This study utilized the IPDA lidar aboard the DQ-1 satellite to monitor emissions from localized strong point sources and, for the first time, observed the diurnal variation of CO2 emissions from a high-latitude power plant, Overall, power plant CO2 emissions were largely consistent with local electricity consumption patterns, with most plants emitting less at night than during the day, and with higher emissions in winter and summer compared to spring and autumn.
Chris McLinden, Debora Griffin, Vitali Fioletov, Junhua Zhang, Enrico Dammers, Cristen Adams, Mallory Loria, Nicolay Krotkov, and Lok Lamsal
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2856, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2856, 2024
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The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) was used to understand the evolution of NOx emissions from the Canadian oil sands. OMI NO2 combined with winds and reported stack emissions, found emissions from the heavy-hauler mine fleet increased by about 20 % since 2005, whereas the total oil sands mined nearly doubled. This difference is a result of emissions standards limiting NOx emissions becoming more stringent over this period confirming the efficacy of the policy enacting these standards.
Antoine Ehret, Solène Turquety, Maya George, Juliette Hadji-Lazaro, and Cathy Clerbaux
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3128, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3128, 2024
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Biomass burning has a considerable effect on the chemical composition of the atmosphere and climate, due to the emission of trace gases and aerosols. We examine the relationship between fire variability and the values of carbon monoxide and aerosol optical depth observed by satellite. The observed increase in wildfires has led to a corresponding rise in the mean and extreme values of carbon monoxide and aerosol optical depth during the summer and early autumn across the northern hemisphere.
Emma Sands, Richard J. Pope, Ruth M. Doherty, Fiona M. O'Connor, Chris Wilson, and Hugh Pumphrey
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11081–11102, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11081-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11081-2024, 2024
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Changes in vegetation alongside biomass burning impact regional atmospheric composition and air quality. Using satellite remote sensing, we find a clear linear relationship between forest cover and isoprene and a pronounced non-linear relationship between burned area and nitrogen dioxide in the southern Amazon, a region of substantial deforestation. These quantified relationships can be used for model evaluation and further exploration of biosphere-atmosphere interactions in Earth System Models.
Jieying Ding, Ronald van der A, Henk Eskes, Enrico Dammers, Mark Shephard, Roy Wichink Kruit, Marc Guevara, and Leonor Tarrason
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10583–10599, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10583-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10583-2024, 2024
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Here we applied the existing Daily Emissions Constrained by Satellite Observations (DECSO) inversion algorithm to NH3 observations from the CrIS satellite instrument to estimate NH3 emissions. As NH3 in the atmosphere is influenced by NOx, we implemented DECSO to estimate NOx and NH3 emissions simultaneously. The emissions are derived over Europe for 2020 at a spatial resolution of 0.2° using daily observations from CrIS and TROPOMI. Results are compared to bottom-up emission inventories.
Matthew S. Johnson, Sajeev Philip, Scott Meech, Rajesh Kumar, Meytar Sorek-Hamer, Yoichi P. Shiga, and Jia Jung
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 10363–10384, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10363-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-10363-2024, 2024
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Satellites, like the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), retrieve proxy species of ozone (O3) formation (formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide) and the ratios (FNRs) which can define O3 production sensitivity regimes. Here we investigate trends of OMI FNRs from 2005 to 2021, and they have increased in major cities, suggesting a transition from radical- to NOx-limited regimes. OMI also observed the impact of reduced emissions during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown that resulted in increased FNRs.
Audrey Gaudel, Ilann Bourgeois, Meng Li, Kai-Lan Chang, Jerald Ziemke, Bastien Sauvage, Ryan M. Stauffer, Anne M. Thompson, Debra E. Kollonige, Nadia Smith, Daan Hubert, Arno Keppens, Juan Cuesta, Klaus-Peter Heue, Pepijn Veefkind, Kenneth Aikin, Jeff Peischl, Chelsea R. Thompson, Thomas B. Ryerson, Gregory J. Frost, Brian C. McDonald, and Owen R. Cooper
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9975–10000, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9975-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9975-2024, 2024
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The study examines tropical tropospheric ozone changes. In situ data from 1994–2019 display increased ozone, notably over India, Southeast Asia, and Malaysia and Indonesia. Sparse in situ data limit trend detection for the 15-year period. In situ and satellite data, with limited sampling, struggle to consistently detect trends. Continuous observations are vital over the tropical Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, western Africa, and South Asia for accurate ozone trend estimation in these regions.
Naveed Ahmad, Changqing Lin, Alexis K. H. Lau, Jhoon Kim, Tianshu Zhang, Fangqun Yu, Chengcai Li, Ying Li, Jimmy C. H. Fung, and Xiang Qian Lao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9645–9665, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9645-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9645-2024, 2024
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This study developed a nested machine learning model to convert the GEMS NO2 column measurements into ground-level concentrations across China. The model directly incorporates the NO2 mixing height (NMH) into the methodological framework. The study underscores the importance of considering NMH when estimating ground-level NO2 from satellite column measurements and highlights the significant advantages of new-generation geostationary satellites in air quality monitoring.
Peter Peterson, Lisa Hernandez, Leslie Tanaka, and Alejandro Dunnick
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1460, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1460, 2024
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This work uses spectroscopy to examine the vertical distribution of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde in southeastern Los Angeles, USA, a region heavily impacted by ozone pollution. We examine how both the amount and vertical profile of the two species varies throughout the day, finding that differences between the two species impact the utilization of satellite-based measurements to diagnose ozone production chemistry and these impacts are variable depending on the time of day.
Richard J. Pope, Fiona M. O'Connor, Mohit Dalvi, Brian J. Kerridge, Richard Siddans, Barry G. Latter, Brice Barret, Eric Le Flochmoen, Anne Boynard, Martyn P. Chipperfield, Wuhu Feng, Matilda A. Pimlott, Sandip S. Dhomse, Christian Retscher, Catherine Wespes, and Richard Rigby
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 9177–9195, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9177-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-9177-2024, 2024
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Ozone is a potent air pollutant in the lower troposphere, with adverse impacts on human health. Satellite records of tropospheric ozone currently show large-scale inconsistencies in long-term trends. Our detailed study of the potential factors (e.g. satellite errors, where the satellite can observe ozone) potentially driving these inconsistencies found that, in North America, Europe, and East Asia, the underlying trends are typically small with large uncertainties.
David P. Edwards, Sara Martínez-Alonso, Duseong S. Jo, Ivan Ortega, Louisa K. Emmons, John J. Orlando, Helen M. Worden, Jhoon Kim, Hanlim Lee, Junsung Park, and Hyunkee Hong
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8943–8961, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8943-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8943-2024, 2024
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Until recently, satellite observations of atmospheric pollutants at any location could only be obtained once a day. New geostationary satellites stare at a region of the Earth to make hourly measurements, and the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer is the first looking at Asia. These data and model simulations show how the change seen for one important pollutant that determines air quality depends on a combination of pollution emissions, atmospheric chemistry, and meteorology.
Matthew S. Johnson, Sofia D. Hamilton, Seongeun Jeong, Yuyan Cui, Dien Wu, Alex Turner, and Marc Fischer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2152, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2152, 2024
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Satellites, such as NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 and -3 (OCO-2/3), retrieve carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations which provide vital information for estimating surface CO2 emissions. Here we investigate the ability of OCO-2/3 retrievals to constrain CO2 emissions for the state of California for the major emission sectors (i.e., fossil fuels, net ecosystem exchange, wildfire).
Sören Johansson, Michael Höpfner, Felix Friedl-Vallon, Norbert Glatthor, Thomas Gulde, Vincent Huijnen, Anne Kleinert, Erik Kretschmer, Guido Maucher, Tom Neubert, Hans Nordmeyer, Christof Piesch, Peter Preusse, Martin Riese, Björn-Martin Sinnhuber, Jörn Ungermann, Gerald Wetzel, and Wolfgang Woiwode
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 8125–8138, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8125-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-8125-2024, 2024
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We present airborne infrared limb sounding GLORIA measurements of ammonia (NH3) in the upper troposphere of air masses within the Asian monsoon and of those connected with biomass burning. Comparing CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) model data, we find that the model reproduces the measured enhanced NH3 within the Asian monsoon well but not that within biomass burning plumes, where no enhanced NH3 is measured in the upper troposphere but considerable amounts are simulated by CAMS.
Sandro Meier, Erik F. M. Koene, Maarten Krol, Dominik Brunner, Alexander Damm, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7667–7686, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7667-2024, 2024
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) are important air pollutants. This study addresses the challenge of accurately estimating NOx emissions from NO2 satellite observations. We develop a realistic model to convert NO2 to NOx by using simulated plumes from various power plants. We apply the model to satellite NO2 observations, significantly reducing biases in estimated NOx emissions. The study highlights the potential for a consistent, high-resolution estimation of NOx emissions using satellite data.
Oliver Schneising, Michael Buchwitz, Maximilian Reuter, Michael Weimer, Heinrich Bovensmann, John P. Burrows, and Hartmut Bösch
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7609–7621, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7609-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7609-2024, 2024
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Large quantities of CO and CO2 are emitted during conventional steel production. As satellite-based estimates of CO2 emissions at the facility level are challenging, co-emitted CO can indicate the carbon footprint of steel plants. We estimate CO emissions for German steelworks and use CO2 emissions from emissions trading data to derive a sector-specific CO/CO2 emission ratio for the steel industry; it is a prerequisite to use CO as a proxy for CO2 emissions from similar steel production sites.
Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, and Henk Eskes
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7523–7534, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7523-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7523-2024, 2024
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Using observations of the Sentinel-5P satellite and the latest version of the inversion algorithm DECSO, anthropogenic NOx emissions are derived for Europe for the years 2019–2022 with a spatial resolution of 0.2°. The results are compared with European emissions of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.
Bruno Franco, Lieven Clarisse, Nicolas Theys, Juliette Hadji-Lazaro, Cathy Clerbaux, and Pierre Coheur
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4973–5007, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4973-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4973-2024, 2024
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Using IASI global infrared measurements, we retrieve nitrous acid (HONO) in fire plumes from space. We detect large enhancements of pyrogenic HONO worldwide, especially from intense wildfires at Northern Hemisphere mid- and high latitudes. Predominance of IASI nighttime over daytime measurements sheds light on HONO's extended lifetime and secondary formation during long-range transport in smoke plumes. Our findings deepen the understanding of atmospheric HONO, crucial for air quality assessment.
Gitaek T. Lee, Rokjin J. Park, Hyeong-Ahn Kwon, Eunjo S. Ha, Sieun D. Lee, Seunga Shin, Myoung-Hwan Ahn, Mina Kang, Yong-Sang Choi, Gyuyeon Kim, Dong-Won Lee, Deok-Rae Kim, Hyunkee Hong, Bavo Langerock, Corinne Vigouroux, Christophe Lerot, Francois Hendrick, Gaia Pinardi, Isabelle De Smedt, Michel Van Roozendael, Pucai Wang, Heesung Chong, Yeseul Cho, and Jhoon Kim
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4733–4749, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4733-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4733-2024, 2024
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This study evaluates the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) HCHO product by comparing its vertical column densities (VCDs) with those of TROPOMI and ground-based observations. Based on some sensitivity tests, obtaining radiance references under clear-sky conditions significantly improves HCHO retrieval quality. GEMS HCHO VCDs captured seasonal and diurnal variations well during the first year of observation, showing consistency with TROPOMI and ground-based observations.
Fei Liu, Steffen Beirle, Joanna Joiner, Sungyeon Choi, Zhining Tao, K. Emma Knowland, Steven J. Smith, Daniel Q. Tong, Siqi Ma, Zachary T. Fasnacht, and Thomas Wagner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3717–3728, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3717-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3717-2024, 2024
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Using satellite data, we developed a coupled method independent of the chemical transport model to map NOx emissions across US cities. After validating our technique with synthetic data, we charted NOx emissions from 2018–2021 in 39 cities. Our results closely matched EPA estimates but also highlighted some inconsistencies in both magnitude and spatial distribution. This research can help refine strategies for monitoring and managing air quality.
Richard J. Pope, Alexandru Rap, Matilda A. Pimlott, Brice Barret, Eric Le Flochmoen, Brian J. Kerridge, Richard Siddans, Barry G. Latter, Lucy J. Ventress, Anne Boynard, Christian Retscher, Wuhu Feng, Richard Rigby, Sandip S. Dhomse, Catherine Wespes, and Martyn P. Chipperfield
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 3613–3626, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3613-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-3613-2024, 2024
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Tropospheric ozone is an important short-lived climate forcer which influences the incoming solar short-wave radiation and the outgoing long-wave radiation in the atmosphere (8–15 km) where the balance between the two yields a net positive (i.e. warming) effect at the surface. Overall, we find that the tropospheric ozone radiative effect ranges between 1.21 and 1.26 W m−2 with a negligible trend (2008–2017), suggesting that tropospheric ozone influences on climate have remained stable with time.
Isabelle A. Taylor, Roy G. Grainger, Andrew T. Prata, Simon R. Proud, Tamsin A. Mather, and David M. Pyle
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15209–15234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15209-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15209-2023, 2023
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This study looks at sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ash emissions from the April 2021 eruption of La Soufrière on St Vincent. Using satellite data, 35 eruptive events were identified. Satellite data were used to track SO2 as it was transported around the globe. The majority of SO2 was emitted into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Similarities with the 1979 eruption of La Soufrière highlight the value of studying these eruptions to be better prepared for future eruptions.
Richard J. Pope, Brian J. Kerridge, Richard Siddans, Barry G. Latter, Martyn P. Chipperfield, Wuhu Feng, Matilda A. Pimlott, Sandip S. Dhomse, Christian Retscher, and Richard Rigby
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14933–14947, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14933-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14933-2023, 2023
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Ozone is a potent air pollutant, and we present the first study to investigate long-term changes in lower tropospheric column ozone (LTCO3) from space. We have constructed a merged LTCO3 dataset from GOME-1, SCIAMACHY and OMI between 1996 and 2017. Comparing LTCO3 between the 1996–2000 and 2013–2017 5-year averages, we find significant positive increases in the tropics/sub-tropics, while in the northern mid-latitudes, we find small-scale differences.
Daniel H. Cusworth, Andrew K. Thorpe, Charles E. Miller, Alana K. Ayasse, Ralph Jiorle, Riley M. Duren, Ray Nassar, Jon-Paul Mastrogiacomo, and Robert R. Nelson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14577–14591, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14577-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14577-2023, 2023
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Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from combustion sources are uncertain in many places across the globe. Satellites have the ability to detect and quantify emissions from large CO2 point sources, including coal-fired power plants. In this study, we tasked two satellites to routinely observe CO2 emissions at 30 coal-fired power plants between 2021 and 2022. These results present the largest dataset of space-based CO2 emission estimates to date.
Maria Tsivlidou, Bastien Sauvage, Yasmine Bennouna, Romain Blot, Damien Boulanger, Hannah Clark, Eric Le Flochmoën, Philippe Nédélec, Valérie Thouret, Pawel Wolff, and Brice Barret
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14039–14063, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14039-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14039-2023, 2023
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The tropics are a region where the ozone increase has been most apparent since 1980 and where observations are sparse. Using aircraft, satellite, and model data, we document the characteristics of tropospheric ozone and CO over the whole tropics for the last 2 decades. We explore the origin of the observed CO anomalies and investigate transport processes driving the tropical CO and O3 distribution. Our study highlights the importance of anthropogenic emissions, mostly over the northern tropics.
Richard J. Pope, Brian J. Kerridge, Martyn P. Chipperfield, Richard Siddans, Barry G. Latter, Lucy J. Ventress, Matilda A. Pimlott, Wuhu Feng, Edward Comyn-Platt, Garry D. Hayman, Stephen R. Arnold, and Ailish M. Graham
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13235–13253, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13235-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13235-2023, 2023
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In the summer of 2018, Europe experienced several persistent large-scale ozone (O3) pollution episodes. Satellite tropospheric O3 and surface O3 data recorded substantial enhancements in 2018 relative to other years. Targeted model simulations showed that meteorological processes and emissions controlled the elevated surface O3, while mid-tropospheric O3 enhancements were dominated by stratospheric O3 intrusion and advection of North Atlantic O3-rich air masses into Europe.
Rui Wang, Da Pan, Xuehui Guo, Kang Sun, Lieven Clarisse, Martin Van Damme, Pierre-François Coheur, Cathy Clerbaux, Melissa Puchalski, and Mark A. Zondlo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 13217–13234, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13217-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-13217-2023, 2023
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Ammonia (NH3) is a key precursor for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and a primary form of reactive nitrogen, yet it has sparse ground measurements. We perform the first comprehensive comparison between ground observations and satellite retrievals in the US, demonstrating that satellite NH3 data can help fill spatial gaps in the current ground monitoring networks. Trend analyses using both datasets highlight increasing NH3 trends across the US, including the NH3 hotspots and urban areas.
Rimal Abeed, Camille Viatte, William C. Porter, Nikolaos Evangeliou, Cathy Clerbaux, Lieven Clarisse, Martin Van Damme, Pierre-François Coheur, and Sarah Safieddine
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 12505–12523, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12505-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-12505-2023, 2023
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Ammonia emissions from agricultural activities will inevitably increase with the rise in population. We use a variety of datasets (satellite, reanalysis, and model simulation) to calculate the first regional map of ammonia emission potential during the start of the growing season in Europe. We then apply our developed method using a climate model to show the effect of the temperature increase on future ammonia columns under two possible climate scenarios.
Bianca Zilker, Andreas Richter, Anne-Marlene Blechschmidt, Peter von der Gathen, Ilias Bougoudis, Sora Seo, Tim Bösch, and John Philip Burrows
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 9787–9814, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9787-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-9787-2023, 2023
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During Arctic spring, near-surface ozone is depleted by bromine released from salty sea ice and/or snow-covered areas under certain meteorological conditions. To study this ozone depletion and the prevailing meteorological conditions, two ozone data sets from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, have been evaluated. We found that during ozone depletion events lower pressure over the Barents Sea and higher pressure in the Icelandic Low area led to a transport of cold polar air from the north to Ny-Ålesund.
Gijs Leguijt, Joannes D. Maasakkers, Hugo A. C. Denier van der Gon, Arjo J. Segers, Tobias Borsdorff, and Ilse Aben
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8899–8919, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8899-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8899-2023, 2023
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We present a fast method to evaluate carbon monoxide emissions from cities in Africa. Carbon monoxide is important for climate change in an indirect way, as it is linked to ozone, methane, and carbon dioxide. Our measurements are made with a satellite that sees the entire globe every single day. This means that we can check from space whether the current knowledge of emission rates is up to date. We make the comparison and show that the emission rates in northern Africa are underestimated.
Chantelle R. Lonsdale and Kang Sun
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8727–8748, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8727-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8727-2023, 2023
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The COVID-19 pandemic, which was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, emerged in 2019, and its still evolving variants have resulted in unprecedented shifts in human activities and anthropogenic emissions into the Earth's atmosphere. We present monthly nitrogen oxide emissions over three major continents from May 2018 to January 2023 to capture variations before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We focus on a diverse collection of 54 cities to quantify the post-COVID-19 perturbations.
Xiaolu Li, Jason Blake Cohen, Kai Qin, Hong Geng, Xiaohui Wu, Liling Wu, Chengli Yang, Rui Zhang, and Liqin Zhang
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8001–8019, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8001-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8001-2023, 2023
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Remotely sensed NO2 and surface NOx are combined with a mathematical method to estimate daily NOx emissions. The results identify new sources and improve existing estimates. The estimation is driven by three flexible factors: thermodynamics of combustion, chemical loss, and atmospheric transport. The thermodynamic term separates power, iron, and cement from coking, boilers, and aluminum. This work finds three causes for the extremes: emissions, UV radiation, and transport.
Juanito Jerrold Mariano Acdan, Robert Bradley Pierce, Angela F. Dickens, Zachariah Adelman, and Tsengel Nergui
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7867–7885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7867-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7867-2023, 2023
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Ozone is an air pollutant that is harmful to human health. Near the surface of Earth, ozone is created when other pollutants react in the presence of sunlight. This study uses satellite data to investigate how ozone levels can be decreased in the Lake Michigan region of the United States. Our results indicate that ozone levels can be decreased by decreasing volatile organic compound emissions in urban areas and decreasing nitrogen oxide emissions in the region as a whole.
Sachiko Okamoto, Juan Cuesta, Matthias Beekmann, Gaëlle Dufour, Maxim Eremenko, Kazuyuki Miyazaki, Cathy Boonne, Hiroshi Tanimoto, and Hajime Akimoto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 7399–7423, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-7399-2023, 2023
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We present a detailed analysis of the daily evolution of the lowermost tropospheric ozone documented by IASI+GOME2 multispectral satellite observations and that of its precursors from TCR-2 tropospheric chemistry reanalysis. It reveals that the ozone outbreak across Europe in July 2017 was produced during favorable condition for photochemical production of ozone and was associated with multiple sources of ozone precursors: biogenic, anthropogenic, and biomass burning emissions.
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Short summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes CO2 in the atmosphere. The satellite measures radiation, and these measurements are then converted to an estimate of atmospheric CO2. This conversion or retrieval algorithm has improved markedly since the satellite launch. We find that these improvements in the CO2 retrieval are having a potentially transformative effect on satellite-based estimates of the global biospheric carbon balance.
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) satellite observes CO2 in the atmosphere. The...
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