Articles | Volume 23, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-6271-2023
© Author(s) 2023. 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-23-6271-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Jun 2023
Research article |
| 07 Jun 2023
| 07 Jun 2023
Background nitrogen dioxide (NO2) over the United States and its implications for satellite observations and trends: effects of nitrate photolysis, aircraft, and open fires
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Daniel J. Jacob
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Viral Shah
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
now at: Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
now at: Science Systems and
Applications, Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA
Sebastian D. Eastham
Department of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Thibaud M. Fritz
Department of
Aeronautics and Astronautics, Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Loretta J. Mickley
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Tianjia Liu
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Yi Wang
Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Iowa
Technology Institute, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of
Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, Iowa
Technology Institute, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of
Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Cited
19 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Combined short-term and long-term emission controls improve air quality sustainably in China Z. Wen et al. 10.1038/s41467-024-49539-9
- Inferring near-surface ozone production regimes: Insights from using satellite retrievals over the contiguous US A. Singh et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121208
- Continuing benefits of the Montreal Protocol and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer for human health and the environment S. Madronich et al. 10.1007/s43630-024-00577-8
- Informing Near-Airport Satellite NO2 Retrievals Using Pandora Sky-Scanning Observations A. Mouat et al. 10.1021/acsestair.4c00158
- Particulate matter (PM) and ozone air quality in Urumqi of Northwest China: Seasonality, trends, and sources X. Liu et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121150
- Diagnosing the Sensitivity of Particulate Nitrate to Precursor Emissions Using Satellite Observations of Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide R. Dang et al. 10.1029/2023GL105761
- Impact of particulate nitrate photolysis on air quality over the Northern Hemisphere G. Sarwar et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170406
- Interpreting summertime hourly variation of NO2 columns with implications for geostationary satellite applications D. Chatterjee et al. 10.5194/acp-24-12687-2024
- Satellite-based aerosol optical depth estimates over the continental U.S. during the 2020 wildfire season: Roles of smoke and land cover J. Daniels et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171122
- A Satellite-Based Indicator for Diagnosing Particulate Nitrate Sensitivity to Precursor Emissions: Application to East Asia, Europe, and North America R. Dang et al. 10.1021/acs.est.4c08082
- Climate and Tropospheric Oxidizing Capacity A. Fiore et al. 10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-090307
- Global seasonal urban, industrial, and background NO2 estimated from TROPOMI satellite observations V. Fioletov et al. 10.5194/acp-25-575-2025
- A bias-corrected GEMS geostationary satellite product for nitrogen dioxide using machine learning to enforce consistency with the TROPOMI satellite instrument Y. Oak et al. 10.5194/amt-17-5147-2024
- A five-year Study Using Sentinel-5P Data Observing Seasonal Dynamics and Long-term Trends of Atmospheric Pollutants H. Mohamed et al. 10.26833/ijeg.1587122
- Extreme wildfires over Northern Greece during Summer 2023 – Part B. Adverse effects on regional air quality M. Koukouli et al. 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108034
- Representing particulate nitrate photolysis over seawater improves CMAQ ozone predictions over the contiguous United States G. Sarwar et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178968
- A portable nitrogen dioxide instrument using cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy S. Bailey et al. 10.5194/amt-17-5903-2024
- Global Impact of Particulate Nitrate Photolysis on Fine Sulfate Aerosol L. Liu et al. 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00416
- Trends and drivers of anthropogenic NO emissions in China since 2020 H. Li et al. 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100425
19 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Combined short-term and long-term emission controls improve air quality sustainably in China Z. Wen et al. 10.1038/s41467-024-49539-9
- Inferring near-surface ozone production regimes: Insights from using satellite retrievals over the contiguous US A. Singh et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121208
- Continuing benefits of the Montreal Protocol and protection of the stratospheric ozone layer for human health and the environment S. Madronich et al. 10.1007/s43630-024-00577-8
- Informing Near-Airport Satellite NO2 Retrievals Using Pandora Sky-Scanning Observations A. Mouat et al. 10.1021/acsestair.4c00158
- Particulate matter (PM) and ozone air quality in Urumqi of Northwest China: Seasonality, trends, and sources X. Liu et al. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121150
- Diagnosing the Sensitivity of Particulate Nitrate to Precursor Emissions Using Satellite Observations of Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide R. Dang et al. 10.1029/2023GL105761
- Impact of particulate nitrate photolysis on air quality over the Northern Hemisphere G. Sarwar et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170406
- Interpreting summertime hourly variation of NO2 columns with implications for geostationary satellite applications D. Chatterjee et al. 10.5194/acp-24-12687-2024
- Satellite-based aerosol optical depth estimates over the continental U.S. during the 2020 wildfire season: Roles of smoke and land cover J. Daniels et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171122
- A Satellite-Based Indicator for Diagnosing Particulate Nitrate Sensitivity to Precursor Emissions: Application to East Asia, Europe, and North America R. Dang et al. 10.1021/acs.est.4c08082
- Climate and Tropospheric Oxidizing Capacity A. Fiore et al. 10.1146/annurev-earth-032320-090307
- Global seasonal urban, industrial, and background NO2 estimated from TROPOMI satellite observations V. Fioletov et al. 10.5194/acp-25-575-2025
- A bias-corrected GEMS geostationary satellite product for nitrogen dioxide using machine learning to enforce consistency with the TROPOMI satellite instrument Y. Oak et al. 10.5194/amt-17-5147-2024
- A five-year Study Using Sentinel-5P Data Observing Seasonal Dynamics and Long-term Trends of Atmospheric Pollutants H. Mohamed et al. 10.26833/ijeg.1587122
- Extreme wildfires over Northern Greece during Summer 2023 – Part B. Adverse effects on regional air quality M. Koukouli et al. 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108034
- Representing particulate nitrate photolysis over seawater improves CMAQ ozone predictions over the contiguous United States G. Sarwar et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178968
- A portable nitrogen dioxide instrument using cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy S. Bailey et al. 10.5194/amt-17-5903-2024
- Global Impact of Particulate Nitrate Photolysis on Fine Sulfate Aerosol L. Liu et al. 10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00416
- Trends and drivers of anthropogenic NO emissions in China since 2020 H. Li et al. 10.1016/j.ese.2024.100425
Latest update: 16 May 2025
Short summary
We use the GEOS-Chem model to better understand the magnitude and trend in free tropospheric NO2 over the contiguous US. Model underestimate of background NO2 is largely corrected by considering aerosol nitrate photolysis. Increase in aircraft emissions affects satellite retrievals by altering the NO2 shape factor, and this effect is expected to increase in future. We show the importance of properly accounting for the free tropospheric background in interpreting NO2 observations from space.
We use the GEOS-Chem model to better understand the magnitude and trend in free tropospheric NO2...
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