Spatio-temporal distribution of pollutant trace gases (CO, CH4, O3 and NO2) in India: an observational study

• Published in: Geology, ecology, and landscapes Vol. ahead-of-print; no. ahead-of-print; pp. 1 - 21
• Main Authors: Gupta, Komal, Saha, Arnab, Sen Gupta, Bhaskar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.09.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Air parcels; Air pollution; AIRS; Anthropogenic factors; Atmospheric Infrared Sounder; Biomass burning; Carbon monoxide; Climate change; Climate variability; Cold days; Economic development; Economic growth; Emissions; Gases; Human influences; Industrial areas; industrial emissions; Industrial pollution; Infrared analysis; Long-range transport; Methane; Monitoring instruments; Nitrogen dioxide; Observational studies; OMI; Ozone; Ozone monitoring; Pollutants; Population density; Regional climates; Remote sensing; seasonal variation; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Spatial distribution; Spatiotemporal data; Spring; Spring (season); Summer; Temporal distribution; Temporal variations; Trace gases; Trend analysis; Vehicle emissions; Winter; India
• ISSN: 2474-9508; 2474-9508
• DOI: 10.1080/24749508.2022.2132706

India is one of the largest contributors to anthropogenic emissions during the recent decade associated with its rapid economic growth in India. Trace gases are important components in the climate change process and due to that climate change, there will be a change in their atmospheric concentrations as the climate is sensitive to Earth's; therefore, proper assessment of trace gases is necessary for ongoing sudden changes in climate. In this study, we used remote-sensing datasets from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to analyze the spatio-temporal variations of four trace gases, like methane (CH 4 ), ozone (O 3 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) over India region during 2006-2015 and taken four seasons (i.e., winter, spring, summer, and winter) to interpret the seasonal variation. The project focuses on the temporal pattern of pollutant trace gases i.e., monthly, seasonal, and annual mean variations of trace gases, trend analysis of trace gases, and a comparison of the seasonal behavior of the trace gases by trend analysis was assessed. Higher concentrations of CO show east-to-west, CH 4 show north-to-south, and O 3 south-to-north gradient, indicating the variations in trace gases due to the impact of emissions and local meteorology. On the other hand, due to immense population density, huge traffic emissions, tremendous, polluted air, and overgrown industrial activities, total NO 2 concentrations shoot up over Delhi, Lucknow, and Kolkata. Now as a result of seasonal variation in the long-range transport of air parcels and biomass burning activities, all trace gases shown significant seasonal variations in the spring season and substantially reduced in the summer season. However, in the winter season, O 3 concentration evaluates minimum due to less amount of heat on cold days which leads to the reduction of O 3 formation. Due to trace gases, all are significant to get regional climate variability. In this study by taking 2006 as a base year and investigate the behaviors of gases for 2007-2015 years to exhibit the increment and decrements in four seasons of all trace gases by taking the most populated 11 different cities of India.