Global and regional variations in aerosol loading during COVID-19 imposed lockdown.

ABSTRACT: In the backdrop of upward trend in anthropogenic aerosols over global hotspot regions, the air quality had improved worldwide post declaration of the Corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic in mid-March-2020. Present study using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) and the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) version-2 datasets however, demonstrates the regional variation in aerosol loading during peak of the lockdown period. Reduction in aerosol loading over majority of the aerosol hotspots is observed from mid-March/April-2020 with highest percentage reduction in the month of May. Reduction in aerosol loading over global hotspots resulted in positive surface aerosol radiati

SUBMITTER: Sanap SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7722495 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature