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Impact of Lockdown Due to COVID-19 Outbreak on O3 and its Precursor Gases, PM and BC Over Northeast India


Affiliations
1 Department of Physics, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
2 Centre for Atmospheric Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
 

Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) data are used to evaluate the impact of the lockdown (24 March–3 May 2020) on the concentrations of surface O3, NOx, CO, SO2, PM and BC compared to those measured during the same period in 2015–2019 over northeast India and adjoining areas. Measurements made at Dibrugarh complements the CAMS observations. The NOx, NO2, CO, SO2, BC and PM concentrations dipped appreciably over northeast India and nearby countries. Similar decrement is observed in Dibrugarh in 2020 over their reference levels. Reduction of precursor gases triggered an increase in O3 concentration across northeast India and adjoining South Asia and at Dibrugarh. The air quality over the region improved from moderate to satisfactory levels due to the lockdown.

Keywords

Aerosols, Air Quality, COVID-19, Lockdown, Northeast India, Particulate Matter, Trace Gases.
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  • Impact of Lockdown Due to COVID-19 Outbreak on O3 and its Precursor Gases, PM and BC Over Northeast India

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Authors

Binita Pathak
Department of Physics, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
Pradip Kumar Bhuyan
Centre for Atmospheric Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
Arshini Saikia
Centre for Atmospheric Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
Kalyan Bhuyan
Department of Physics, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
P. Ajay
Centre for Atmospheric Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
Sankar Jyoti Nath
Centre for Atmospheric Studies, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India
Shyam Lochan Bora
Department of Physics, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786 004, India

Abstract


Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) data are used to evaluate the impact of the lockdown (24 March–3 May 2020) on the concentrations of surface O3, NOx, CO, SO2, PM and BC compared to those measured during the same period in 2015–2019 over northeast India and adjoining areas. Measurements made at Dibrugarh complements the CAMS observations. The NOx, NO2, CO, SO2, BC and PM concentrations dipped appreciably over northeast India and nearby countries. Similar decrement is observed in Dibrugarh in 2020 over their reference levels. Reduction of precursor gases triggered an increase in O3 concentration across northeast India and adjoining South Asia and at Dibrugarh. The air quality over the region improved from moderate to satisfactory levels due to the lockdown.

Keywords


Aerosols, Air Quality, COVID-19, Lockdown, Northeast India, Particulate Matter, Trace Gases.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv120%2Fi2%2F322-331