Abrupt decline in tropospheric nitrogen dioxide over China after the outbreak of COVID-19

Journal article (2020)

Authors

Fei Liu NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Universities Space Research Association
Aaron Page University of Exeter
Sarah A. Strode Universities Space Research Association, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Yasuko Yoshida Science Systems and Applications Inc., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Sungyeon Choi Science Systems and Applications Inc., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Bo Zheng Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement
Lok Lamsal Universities Space Research Association, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
j. Pepijn Veefkind Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Atmospheric Remote Sensing - CEG
Pieternel Felicitas Levelt Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), Atmospheric Remote Sensing - CEG
More Authors... External organisation
Research Group
Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CEG) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2020 Fei Liu, Aaron Page, Sarah A. Strode, Yasuko Yoshida, Sungyeon Choi, Bo Zheng, Lok N. Lamsal, j. Pepijn Veefkind, Pieternel Felicitas Levelt, More Authors
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc2992
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Published Date

2020

Language

English

Faculty

Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Department

Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Research Group

Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Abstract

China's policy interventions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 have environmental and economic impacts. Tropospheric nitrogen dioxide indicates economic activities, as nitrogen dioxide is primarily emitted from fossil fuel consumption. Satellite measurements show a 48% drop in tropospheric nitrogen dioxide vertical column densities from the 20 days averaged before the 2020 Lunar New Year to the 20 days averaged after. This decline is 21±5% larger than that from 2015 to 2019. We relate this reduction to two of the government's actions: the announcement of the first report in each province and the date of a province's lockdown. Both actions are associated with nearly the same magnitude of reductions. Our analysis offers insights into the unintended environmental and economic consequences through reduced economic activities.