Application of Satellite Observations and Air Quality Modelling to Validation of NOx Anthropogenic EMEP Emissions Inventory over Central Europe

Abstract

One of the most important minor species in the atmosphere is nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The primary objective of the presented research was to propose a method to adjust emission inventories (emission fluxes) using tropospheric NO2 columns observed by OMI and SCIAMACHY instruments. Modified emission fluxes were used in a chemical weather model GEM-AQ. The GEM-AQ model results were compared with the monthly averaged satellite-derived column amount of NO2 over Europe for the 2008–2010 observing period. It was shown that the observed and modelled spatial distribution of high values of the NO2 column is highly correlated with the distribution of major anthropogenic sources in the modelling domain. The presented findings highlight the importance of the anthropogenic sources in the overall budget of NO2 in the polluted troposphere. Regions for which modelling results showed underestimation or overestimation compared with observations were constant for the whole analysis period. Thus, the NO2 column observations could be used for correcting emission estimates. The proposed emission correction method is based on the differences in modelled and satellite-derived NO2 columns. Modelling was done for 2011 using the original and adjusted emission inventories and compared with observed NO2 columns. The analysis was extended to compare modelling results with surface NO2 observations from selected air quality stations in Poland. A significant improvement in modelling results was obtained over regions with large overestimations in the control run for which the original emission fluxes were used.

Machine learning for hours-ahead forecasts of urban air concentrations of oxides of nitrogen from univariate data exploiting trend attributes

“…11 The ability to monitor and detect major anthropogenic NOx sources by satellite has added a new dimension to NOx monitoring in recent years. 12 Diesel-fuelled engines are responsible for a substantial proportion of NOx emissions in urban areas. 13,14 However, during urban driving, NOx emissions from diesel engines are substantially nonlinear as vehicles move at various speeds.…”

“…11 The ability to monitor and detect major anthropogenic NOx sources by satellite has added a new dimension to NOx monitoring in recent years. 12…”

Satellite observations showed a negligible reduction in NO2 pollution due to COVID-19 lockdown over Poland

“…However, there are very few studies on NO 2 pollution in Poland. Szymankiewicz et al, 2021 showed the usefulness of NO 2 from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) for improvement of NO x surface emission prediction. Kawka et al, 2021 examined the annual variation of TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) NO 2 and pointed out the importance of proper selection of satellite scenes for monthly averages.…”