Articles | Volume 21, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7723-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-7723-2021
Research article
 | 
20 May 2021
Research article |  | 20 May 2021

Variability of NO2 concentrations over China and effect on air quality derived from satellite and ground-based observations

Cheng Fan, Zhengqiang Li, Ying Li, Jiantao Dong, Ronald van der A, and Gerrit de Leeuw

Related authors

The polarimetric characteristics of dust with irregular shapes: evaluation of the spheroid model for single particles
Jie Luo, Zhengqiang Li, Cheng Fan, Hua Xu, Ying Zhang, Weizhen Hou, Lili Qie, Haoran Gu, Mengyao Zhu, Yinna Li, and Kaitao Li
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2767–2789, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2767-2022,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2767-2022, 2022
Short summary
PRELIMINARY SENSITIVITY STUDY OF AEROSOL LAYER HEIGHT FROM SYNTHETIC MULTIANGLE POLARIMETRIC REMOTE SENSING MEASUREMENTS
W. Z. Hou, H. F. Wang, Z. Q. Li, L. L. Qie, B. Y. Ge, C. Fan, and S. Li
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLII-3-W9, 63–69, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-W9-63-2019,https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-3-W9-63-2019, 2019
Towards a comprehensive view of dust events from multiple satellite and ground measurements: exemplified by the May 2017 East Asian dust storm
Lu She, Yong Xue, Jie Guang, Yahui Che, Cheng Fan, Ying Li, and Yanqing Xie
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3187–3201, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3187-2018,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3187-2018, 2018
Short summary
Technical note: Intercomparison of three AATSR Level 2 (L2) AOD products over China
Yahui Che, Yong Xue, Linlu Mei, Jie Guang, Lu She, Jianping Guo, Yincui Hu, Hui Xu, Xingwei He, Aojie Di, and Cheng Fan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 9655–9674, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-9655-2016,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-9655-2016, 2016
Short summary

Related subject area

Subject: Gases | Research Activity: Remote Sensing | Altitude Range: Troposphere | Science Focus: Chemistry (chemical composition and reactions)
Air quality trends and regimes in South Korea inferred from 2015–2023 surface and satellite observations
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
Short summary
What can we learn about tropospheric OH from satellite observations of methane?
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
Short summary
Identifying missing sources and reducing NOx emissions uncertainty over China using daily satellite data and a mass-conserving method
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
Short summary
Feasibility of robust estimates of ozone production rates using a synergy of satellite observations, ground-based remote sensing, and models
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
Short summary
Upper-tropospheric pollutants observed by MIPAS: geographic and seasonal variations
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
Short summary

Cited articles

Bao, R. and Zhang, A.: Does lockdown reduce air pollution? Evidence from 44 cities in northern China, Sci. Tot. Environ., 731, 139052, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139052, 2020. 
Bauwens, M., Compernolle, S., Stavrakou, T., Müller, J.-F., van Gent, J., Eskes, H., Levelt, P. F., van der A, R., Veefkind, J. P., Vlietinck, J., Yu, H., and Zehner, C.: Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak on NO2 Pollution Assessed Using TROPOMI and OMI Observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2020GL087978, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl087978, 2020. 
Boersma, K. F., Eskes, H. J., Dirksen, R. J., van der A, R. J., Veefkind, J. P., Stammes, P., Huijnen, V., Kleipool, Q. L., Sneep, M., Claas, J., Leitão, J., Richter, A., Zhou, Y., and Brunner, D.: An improved tropospheric NO2 column retrieval algorithm for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 4, 1905–1928, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-4-1905-2011, 2011. 
Boersma, K. F., Eskes, H. J., Richter, A., De Smedt, I., Lorente, A., Beirle, S., van Geffen, J. H. G. M., Zara, M., Peters, E., Van Roozendael, M., Wagner, T., Maasakkers, J. D., van der A, R. J., Nightingale, J., De Rudder, A., Irie, H., Pinardi, G., Lambert, J.-C., and Compernolle, S. C.: Improving algorithms and uncertainty estimates for satellite NO2 retrievals: results from the quality assurance for the essential climate variables (QA4ECV) project, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6651–6678, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6651-2018, 2018. 
Chen, M., Gong, Y., Li, Y., Lu, D., and Zhang, H.: Population distribution and urbanization on both sides of the Hu Huanyong Line: Answering the Premier's question, J. Geogr. Sci., 26, 1593–1610, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1346-4, 2016. 
Download
Short summary
Emission control policy in China has resulted in the decrease of nitrogen dioxide concentrations, which however leveled off and stabilized in recent years, as shown from satellite data. The effects of the further emission reduction during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 resulted in an initial improvement of air quality, which, however, was offset by chemical and meteorological effects. The study shows the regional dependence over east China, and results have a wider application than China only.
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint