The Contribution of Large-scale Atmospheric Patterns to PM10 Pollution: The New Saharan Oscillation Index

Environmental Engineering Research

et al. 2021

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Several measures have been taken to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, almost all non-essential activities in Morocco have been halted since March 20, 2020. From that date, Morocco announced the lockdown for one month and it was extended until June 10, 2020. The main objective of this paper is to study the effects of the lockdown measures on air quality, by analyzing dust PM 2.5 , NO 2 , and O 3 . The dust PM 2.5 analysis was carried out from 2016 to 2020. NO 2 and O 3 analysis was carried out in 2019 and 2020. This study, which is based on satellite data from TROPOMI Sentinel 5P and MERRA, has shown that Morocco has experienced an improvement in air quality during the lockdown. A significant reduction in surface dust PM 2.5 and tropospheric NO 2 was observed (-10%, -4% respectively on average). The total column of ozone recorded a slight increase on average of around 1%. Moreover, we demonstrate that a significant part of particulate pollution and NO2 emissions are incoming mainly from the northern and northern-eastern borders of Morocco.

Section: Dust Surface Mass Concentration-pm 25supporting

confidence: 89%

“…Morocco is characterized by a high sensitivity to climate change and its limited adaptation capacities [36]. It is considered among the most vulnerable countries to climate variability and transboundary air pollution [37]. In these recent decades, it is characterized by a tendency to rise in temperatures [38].…”

Section: The Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 lockdown improves air quality in Morocco

Sekmoudi

Idrissi

Environmental Engineering Research

et al. 2021

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“…The thresholding method is widely employed and recommended by the STARDEX (STAtistical and Regional dynamical Downscaling of EXtremes for European regions; https: //crudata.uea.ac.uk/projects/stardex/, access on 14 December 2021) and the ETCCDI (Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices) projects (Brown et al, 2010). Many studies in Morocco have used this approach [20,22,33].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Casablanca is a coastal city and is the first most populous city in Morocco with more than 3,000,000 inhabitants and the highest rate of economic activities. Marrakech is an inland city and is the fourth largest city in the country with a population of over 900,000 inhabitants [ 22 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concurrent Heat Waves and Extreme Ozone (O3) Episodes: Combined Atmospheric Patterns and Impact on Human Health

Chelhaoui

Alilou

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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More recurrent heat waves and extreme ozone (O3) episodes are likely to occur during the next decades and a key question is about the concurrence of those hazards, the atmospheric patterns behind their appearance, and their joint effect on human health. In this work, we use surface maximum temperature and O3 observations during extended summers in two cities from Morocco: Casablanca and Marrakech, between 2010 and 2019. We assess the connection between these data and climate indices (North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Mediterranean Oscillation (MO), and Saharan Oscillation (SaO)). We then identify concurrent heat waves and O3 episodes, the weather type behind this concurrence, and the combined health risks. Our findings show that the concurrence of heat waves and O3 episodes depends both on the specific city and the large-scale atmospheric circulation. The likely identified synoptic pattern is when the country is under the combined influence of an anticyclonic area in the north and the Saharan trough extending the depression centered in the south. This pattern generates a warm flow and may foster photochemical pollution. Our study is the first step toward the establishment of an alert system. It will help to provide recommendations for coping with concurrent heat waves and air pollution episodes.

“…1). It is located in the southern part of the Mediterranean basin and is considered among the most vulnerable countries to climate variability and transboundary air pollution (Khomsi et al, 2020). Casablanca and Marrakech are the studied cities.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 national lockdown in Morocco: impacts on air quality and public health

Najmi

Amghar

et al. 2020

Preprint

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On the 20th April 2020, the end date of the first strict lockdown period in Morocco, 2 403 410 cases of the corona Virus were confirmed globally. The number of Morocco confirmed cases attended 2990, while 12 746 were suspected and 143 deaths were recorded. Due to the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 worldwide and in Morocco, almost all avoidable activities in the country were prohibited since the kingdom announced activities reduction on March 16, 2020 and then general lockdown with reduced industrial activities on March 20, 2020. This study aims at comparing the air quality status in Casablanca and Marrakech, two large cities from Morocco, before the pandemic and during the lockdown situation to show whether COVID-19 compelled-anthropogenic activities lockdown may have saved lives by restraining ambient air pollution than by preventing infection. We found that, during the quarantine, NO2 dropped by -12 μg/m3 in Casablanca and -7 μg/m3 in Marrakech. PM2.5 dropped by -18 μg/m3 in Casablanca and -14 μg/m3 in Marrakech. CO dropped by -0.04 mg/m3 in Casablanca and -0.12 mg/m3 in Marrakech. This air pollution reduction had created human health benefits and had reduced mortality and saved lives mainly from cardiovascular diseases.