A Satellite-Based Indicator for Diagnosing Particulate Nitrate Sensitivity to Precursor Emissions: Application to East Asia, Europe, and North America.

ABSTRACT: Particulate nitrate is a major component of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and a key target for improving air quality. Its formation is varyingly sensitive to emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x ≡ NO + NO₂), ammonia (NH₃), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Diagnosing the dominant sensitivity is critical for effective pollution control. Here, we show that satellite observations of the NO₂ column and the NH₃/NO₂ column ratio can effectively diagnose the dominant sensitivity regimes in polluted regions of East Asia, Europe, and North America, in different seasons, though with reduced performance in the summer. We demarcate the different sensitivity regimes using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model and a

SUBMITTER: Dang R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11562732 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature