Long-term (2006-2015) variations and relations of multiple atmospheric pollutants based on multi-remote sensing data over the North China Plain

Yidan Si; Hongmei Wang; Kun Cai; Liangfu Chen; Zhicheng Zhou; Shenshen Li

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113323

Long-term (2006-2015) variations and relations of multiple atmospheric pollutants based on multi-remote sensing data over the North China Plain

Environ Pollut. 2019 Dec;255(Pt 3):113323. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113323. Epub 2019 Oct 4.

Authors

Yidan Si¹, Hongmei Wang², Kun Cai³, Liangfu Chen⁴, Zhicheng Zhou⁵, Shenshen Li⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Satellite Meteorological Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 10081, China.
² School of Electrical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
³ College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China; School of Computer and Information Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China. Electronic address: henu_caikun@126.com.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
⁵ School of Computer and Information Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China.

PMID: 31610386
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113323

Abstract

In this analysis, the Aqua/MODIS aerosol optical thickness (AOD), Aura/OMI tropospheric NO₂ and SO₂ column concentration from 2006 to 2015 were used to statistically analyze the spatial distribution characteristics and variation trends of three polluted parameters from three temporal scales of monthly, seasonal and annual average. The results showed that the minimum values of NO₂ and SO₂ column concentrations both appeared in July and August, and the maximum values appeared in December and January, which was contrary to the variations in AOD. The highly polluted levels were mainly distributed in Shijiazhuang, Xingtai, and Yancheng cities of Hebei Province, and gradually transported to Zhengzhou, Henan Province, north and southwest of Shandong Province, and Tianjin, along the main line of Taiyuan-Linyi, Shanxi Province. AOD and NO₂ had significant differences on the seasonal average scale, whereas SO₂ had little changes. These pollutants had declined year by year since 2011, in the 10-year period, AOD and SO₂ respectively decreased by 17.14% and 10.57%, and only NO₂ rose from 8.69 × 10¹⁵ molecules/cm² in 2006 to 9.10 × 10¹⁵ molecules/cm² in 2015 with the increase rate of 4.79%. Integrated with MODIS-released fire products and the Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC), high AOD values in summer were usually accompanied by frequent biomass burning, and heavy heating demand of coal burning led to largest NO₂ and SO₂ levels in winter. Both inter-annual variations of MEIC NOx and OMI-observed NO₂ responded to emission reductions of vehicle exhaustions positively, but vehicle population in Henan and Shandong provinces need to be further controlled. The significant decline of SO₂ is mainly attributed to the enforcement of de-sulfurization devices in power plants. Our study found that in the treatment of complex atmospheric pollution, in addition to strict control of common sources of emissions from AOD, NO₂ and SO₂, it is also necessary to consider their individual characteristics.

Keywords: AOD; MODIS; NO(2); North China Plain; OMI; SO(2); Variation.

MeSH terms

Aerosols / analysis
Air Pollutants / analysis*
Air Pollution / analysis
Air Pollution / statistics & numerical data*
China
Cities
Coal / analysis
Environmental Monitoring / methods*
Fires
Power Plants
Remote Sensing Technology*
Seasons

Substances

Aerosols
Air Pollutants
Coal