Monitoring of SO2 column concentration over Iran using satellite-based observations during 2005-2016

Abstract

For the first time, sulfur dioxide concentration was monitored between 2005 and 2016 over Iran which is among the countries with a high SO₂ emission rate in the world. To that end, SO₂ column concentration at Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) was analyzed. OMI is a sensor onboard the Aura satellite which can measure daily SO₂ concentration on the global scale. From OMI maps, 19 notable SO₂ hotspots were detected over Iran. The results indicate that the most elevated level of SO₂ among these 19 hotspots belong to Khark Island and Asaluye in Bushehr province, southwest of Iran. Annual trend analysis shows that SO₂ concentration has been slightly augmented during 2005-2016 over this country. Distribution analysis of SO₂ concentration over Iran showed that the most polluted provinces are Bushehr, Khuzestan and Ilam lied in the southwest of Iran. On the contrary, the lowest level of SO₂ has observed over northwest of Iran at West and East Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces. The correlation coefficient between total energy production in Iran and SO₂ concentration from 2005 to 2016 is as high as ~0.7. Hence, it can be derived that energy production, most notably production of crude oil, plays a pivotal role in SO₂ concentration over Iran.