Articles | Volume 21, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3555-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3555-2021
Research article
 | 
09 Mar 2021
Research article |  | 09 Mar 2021

Global impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the surface concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and ozone

Christoph A. Keller, Mathew J. Evans, K. Emma Knowland, Christa A. Hasenkopf, Sruti Modekurty, Robert A. Lucchesi, Tomohiro Oda, Bruno B. Franca, Felipe C. Mandarino, M. Valeria Díaz Suárez, Robert G. Ryan, Luke H. Fakes, and Steven Pawson

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This study combines surface observations and model simulations to quantify the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on air quality across the world. The presented methodology removes the confounding impacts of meteorology on air pollution. Our results indicate that surface concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, an important air pollutant emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels, declined by up to 60 % following the implementation of COVID-19 containment measures.
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