Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations

Nitrogen oxides (NO<i><sub>x</sub></i>) are key precursors of tropospheric ozone and particulate matter. The sparse local observations make it challenging to understand NO<i><sub>x</sub></i> cycling across the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which plays a crucia...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xue Zhang, Chunxiang Ye, Jhoon Kim, Hanlim Lee, Junsung Park, Yeonjin Jung, Hyunkee Hong, Weitao Fu, Xicheng Li, Yuyang Chen, Xingyi Wu, Yali Li, Juan Li, Peng Zhang, Zhuoxian Yan, Jiaming Zhang, Song Liu, Lei Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/10/1690
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850126428611280896
author Xue Zhang
Chunxiang Ye
Jhoon Kim
Hanlim Lee
Junsung Park
Yeonjin Jung
Hyunkee Hong
Weitao Fu
Xicheng Li
Yuyang Chen
Xingyi Wu
Yali Li
Juan Li
Peng Zhang
Zhuoxian Yan
Jiaming Zhang
Song Liu
Lei Zhu
author_facet Xue Zhang
Chunxiang Ye
Jhoon Kim
Hanlim Lee
Junsung Park
Yeonjin Jung
Hyunkee Hong
Weitao Fu
Xicheng Li
Yuyang Chen
Xingyi Wu
Yali Li
Juan Li
Peng Zhang
Zhuoxian Yan
Jiaming Zhang
Song Liu
Lei Zhu
author_sort Xue Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Nitrogen oxides (NO<i><sub>x</sub></i>) are key precursors of tropospheric ozone and particulate matter. The sparse local observations make it challenging to understand NO<i><sub>x</sub></i> cycling across the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which plays a crucial role in regional and global atmospheric processes. Here, we utilized Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) data to examine the tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical column density (Ω<sub>NO2</sub>) spatiotemporal variability over TP, a pristine environment marked with natural sources. GEMS observations revealed that the Ω<sub>NO2</sub> over TP is generally low compared with surrounding regions with significant surface emissions, such as India and the Sichuan basin. A spatial decreasing trend of Ω<sub>NO2</sub> is observed from the south and center to the north over Tibet. Unlike the surrounding regions, the TP exhibits opposing seasonal patterns and a negative correlation between the surface NO<sub>2</sub> and Ω<sub>NO2</sub>. In the Lhasa and Nam Co areas within Xizang, the highest Ω<sub>NO2</sub> in spring contrasts with the lowest surface concentration. Diurnally, a midday increase in Ω<sub>NO2</sub> in the warm season reflects some external sources affecting the remote area. Trajectory analysis suggests strong convection lifted air mass from India and Southeast Asia into the upper troposphere over the TP. These findings highlight the mixing interplay of nonlocal and local NO<i><sub>x</sub></i> sources in shaping NO<sub>2</sub> variability in a high-altitude environment. Future research should explore these transport mechanisms and their implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate dynamics over the TP.
format Article
id doaj-art-e4385628ab0b4a73844793d7e36a086c
institution OA Journals
issn 2072-4292
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Remote Sensing
spelling doaj-art-e4385628ab0b4a73844793d7e36a086c2025-08-20T02:33:55ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-05-011710169010.3390/rs17101690Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal VariationsXue Zhang0Chunxiang Ye1Jhoon Kim2Hanlim Lee3Junsung Park4Yeonjin Jung5Hyunkee Hong6Weitao Fu7Xicheng Li8Yuyang Chen9Xingyi Wu10Yali Li11Juan Li12Peng Zhang13Zhuoxian Yan14Jiaming Zhang15Song Liu16Lei Zhu17School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaState Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaDepartment of Atmospheric Science, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of KoreaDivision of Earth Environmental System Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of KoreaDivision of Atomic Molecular and Physics, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA 02138, USADivision of Earth Environmental System Science, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of KoreaNational Institute of Environmental Research, Seoul 22689, Republic of KoreaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, ChinaNitrogen oxides (NO<i><sub>x</sub></i>) are key precursors of tropospheric ozone and particulate matter. The sparse local observations make it challenging to understand NO<i><sub>x</sub></i> cycling across the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which plays a crucial role in regional and global atmospheric processes. Here, we utilized Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) data to examine the tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> vertical column density (Ω<sub>NO2</sub>) spatiotemporal variability over TP, a pristine environment marked with natural sources. GEMS observations revealed that the Ω<sub>NO2</sub> over TP is generally low compared with surrounding regions with significant surface emissions, such as India and the Sichuan basin. A spatial decreasing trend of Ω<sub>NO2</sub> is observed from the south and center to the north over Tibet. Unlike the surrounding regions, the TP exhibits opposing seasonal patterns and a negative correlation between the surface NO<sub>2</sub> and Ω<sub>NO2</sub>. In the Lhasa and Nam Co areas within Xizang, the highest Ω<sub>NO2</sub> in spring contrasts with the lowest surface concentration. Diurnally, a midday increase in Ω<sub>NO2</sub> in the warm season reflects some external sources affecting the remote area. Trajectory analysis suggests strong convection lifted air mass from India and Southeast Asia into the upper troposphere over the TP. These findings highlight the mixing interplay of nonlocal and local NO<i><sub>x</sub></i> sources in shaping NO<sub>2</sub> variability in a high-altitude environment. Future research should explore these transport mechanisms and their implications for atmospheric chemistry and climate dynamics over the TP.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/10/1690Tibet PlateauNO<sub>2</sub> columnDiurnal variationGEMS
spellingShingle Xue Zhang
Chunxiang Ye
Jhoon Kim
Hanlim Lee
Junsung Park
Yeonjin Jung
Hyunkee Hong
Weitao Fu
Xicheng Li
Yuyang Chen
Xingyi Wu
Yali Li
Juan Li
Peng Zhang
Zhuoxian Yan
Jiaming Zhang
Song Liu
Lei Zhu
Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
Remote Sensing
Tibet Plateau
NO<sub>2</sub> column
Diurnal variation
GEMS
title Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
title_full Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
title_fullStr Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
title_full_unstemmed Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
title_short Tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> Column over Tibet Plateau According to Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer: Spatial, Seasonal, and Diurnal Variations
title_sort tropospheric no sub 2 sub column over tibet plateau according to geostationary environment monitoring spectrometer spatial seasonal and diurnal variations
topic Tibet Plateau
NO<sub>2</sub> column
Diurnal variation
GEMS
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/10/1690
work_keys_str_mv AT xuezhang troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT chunxiangye troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT jhoonkim troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT hanlimlee troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT junsungpark troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT yeonjinjung troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT hyunkeehong troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT weitaofu troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT xichengli troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT yuyangchen troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT xingyiwu troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT yalili troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT juanli troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT pengzhang troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT zhuoxianyan troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT jiamingzhang troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT songliu troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations
AT leizhu troposphericnosub2subcolumnovertibetplateauaccordingtogeostationaryenvironmentmonitoringspectrometerspatialseasonalanddiurnalvariations