COVID-19 lockdowns linked to pollution spikes in some cities | Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling

New study investigates how emissions changes affected secondary pollutants

Lockdowns last year in response to COVID-19 resulted in drastic cuts to emissions, especially from vehicle tailpipes, and yet some urban areas saw a paradoxical spike in ozone air pollution. A new study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) used a sophisticated computer model to disentangle the complicated web of atmospheric chemistry and meteorology to determine the causes of poor air quality. Read more at UCAR News . . .

ACOM lead author Ben Gaubert's paper is titled: "Global Changes in Secondary Atmospheric Pollutants during the 2020 COVID‐19 Pandemic".

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Palaces, avenues, buildings, parks, and scenery around China's Capital. The white Pagoda at Beihai from Jinshan Hill (27 September 2013). Photo by Yinan Chen at Wikimedia Commons.

Teaser summary

Lockdowns during 2020 in response to COVID-19 resulted in drastic cuts to emissions, especially from vehicle tailpipes, and yet some urban areas saw a paradoxical spike in ozone air pollution.