Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery

This study examined spatial–temporal variations in air pollutant levels across four provinces on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, utilizing data from the Sentinel-5P satellite equipped with TROPOMI and MODIS aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites from 2019 to 2021. Sentinel-5P data, with a spatial resolu...

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Main Authors: Zarah Arwieny Hanami, Muhammad Amin, Muralia Hustim, Rahmi Mulia Putri, Sayed Esmatullah Torabi, Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani, Isra Suryati
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Urban Science
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/2/42
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author Zarah Arwieny Hanami
Muhammad Amin
Muralia Hustim
Rahmi Mulia Putri
Sayed Esmatullah Torabi
Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani
Isra Suryati
author_facet Zarah Arwieny Hanami
Muhammad Amin
Muralia Hustim
Rahmi Mulia Putri
Sayed Esmatullah Torabi
Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani
Isra Suryati
author_sort Zarah Arwieny Hanami
collection DOAJ
description This study examined spatial–temporal variations in air pollutant levels across four provinces on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, utilizing data from the Sentinel-5P satellite equipped with TROPOMI and MODIS aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites from 2019 to 2021. Sentinel-5P data, with a spatial resolution of 3.5 × 5.5 km<sup>2</sup> and near-daily temporal coverage, were used to analyze the nitrogen dioxide (NO<sup>2</sup>), carbon monoxide (CO), and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Jambi, and Riau—regions selected for their distinct industrial, agricultural, and urban characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate seasonal trends, regional differences, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution, aiming to provide insights for improved air quality management and policy development. The satellite data were validated using zonal statistics to ensure consistency and reliability. The findings revealed significant seasonal fluctuations in pollution, with elevated levels during the dry season, primarily due to land clearing and forest fires. Urban and industrial areas such as Medan, Pekanbaru, Jambi, and Padang consistently exhibited high levels of NO<sub>2</sub>, primarily due to vehicular and industrial emissions. The regions affected by biomass burning and agriculture, particularly Jambi and Riau, displayed notably higher CO and AOD levels during the dry season. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to observe potential improvements in air quality, with significant reductions in NO<sub>2</sub>, CO, and AOD levels during the 2020 lockdowns. The NO<sub>2</sub> levels in urban centers decreased by over 20%, while the reductions in CO and AOD reached up to 29% and 64%, respectively, reflecting diminished human activities and biomass burning. This study underscores the need for enhanced air quality monitoring and targeted management strategies in Sumatra, Indonesia. Future research should aim to improve the resolution and validation of data with ground-based measurements and broaden the number of pollutants studied to better understand air quality dynamics and support effective policy development.
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spelling doaj-art-45e3a7456ebf40589eb369935a3d70aa2025-08-20T03:12:04ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512025-02-01924210.3390/urbansci9020042Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite ImageryZarah Arwieny Hanami0Muhammad Amin1Muralia Hustim2Rahmi Mulia Putri3Sayed Esmatullah Torabi4Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani5Isra Suryati6Environmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Hasanuddin, Gowa 92171, South Sulawesi, IndonesiaFaculty of Geosciences and Civil Engineering, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Ishikawa, JapanEnvironmental Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Hasanuddin, Gowa 92171, South Sulawesi, IndonesiaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Ishikawa, JapanGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Ishikawa, JapanGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192, Ishikawa, JapanFaculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Padang 25175, West Sumatra, IndonesiaThis study examined spatial–temporal variations in air pollutant levels across four provinces on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, utilizing data from the Sentinel-5P satellite equipped with TROPOMI and MODIS aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites from 2019 to 2021. Sentinel-5P data, with a spatial resolution of 3.5 × 5.5 km<sup>2</sup> and near-daily temporal coverage, were used to analyze the nitrogen dioxide (NO<sup>2</sup>), carbon monoxide (CO), and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Jambi, and Riau—regions selected for their distinct industrial, agricultural, and urban characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate seasonal trends, regional differences, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air pollution, aiming to provide insights for improved air quality management and policy development. The satellite data were validated using zonal statistics to ensure consistency and reliability. The findings revealed significant seasonal fluctuations in pollution, with elevated levels during the dry season, primarily due to land clearing and forest fires. Urban and industrial areas such as Medan, Pekanbaru, Jambi, and Padang consistently exhibited high levels of NO<sub>2</sub>, primarily due to vehicular and industrial emissions. The regions affected by biomass burning and agriculture, particularly Jambi and Riau, displayed notably higher CO and AOD levels during the dry season. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to observe potential improvements in air quality, with significant reductions in NO<sub>2</sub>, CO, and AOD levels during the 2020 lockdowns. The NO<sub>2</sub> levels in urban centers decreased by over 20%, while the reductions in CO and AOD reached up to 29% and 64%, respectively, reflecting diminished human activities and biomass burning. This study underscores the need for enhanced air quality monitoring and targeted management strategies in Sumatra, Indonesia. Future research should aim to improve the resolution and validation of data with ground-based measurements and broaden the number of pollutants studied to better understand air quality dynamics and support effective policy development.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/2/42air pollutionspatial-temporal analysisSentinel-5P satellite imagerySumatra Islandaerosol optical depthCOVID-19 impact
spellingShingle Zarah Arwieny Hanami
Muhammad Amin
Muralia Hustim
Rahmi Mulia Putri
Sayed Esmatullah Torabi
Andi Annisa Tenri Ramadhani
Isra Suryati
Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
Urban Science
air pollution
spatial-temporal analysis
Sentinel-5P satellite imagery
Sumatra Island
aerosol optical depth
COVID-19 impact
title Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
title_full Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
title_fullStr Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
title_full_unstemmed Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
title_short Spatial–Temporal Changes in Air Pollutants in Four Provinces of Sumatra Island, Indonesia: Insights from Sentinel-5P Satellite Imagery
title_sort spatial temporal changes in air pollutants in four provinces of sumatra island indonesia insights from sentinel 5p satellite imagery
topic air pollution
spatial-temporal analysis
Sentinel-5P satellite imagery
Sumatra Island
aerosol optical depth
COVID-19 impact
url https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/2/42
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