Sometimes nature presents itself as a laboratory, where scientists can study results that are far more broad-based than any test they could set up in a controlled environment. COVID-19 “shutdowns” offered such an opportunity, when large geographic areas reduced activity to stop the spread of COVID-19. Scientists are studying the impacts on air quality, looking for lessons that could have broader significance for policies to slow climate change.
Instructions
Write a 1–2 page paper using the following instructions:
Select one of the following articles to read:
Paul Villeneuve. September 2020. Methodological Considerations for Epidemiological Studies of Air Pollution and the SARS and COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreaks. https://search-ebscohost-com.libdatab.strayer.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=8gh&AN=146351554&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Yasin Elshorbany. February 2021. The Status of Air Quality in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Remote Sensing Perspective. https://search-ebscohost-com.libdatab.strayer.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=148502689&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Maya Kumari. June 2021. Multivariate and Spatial Analysis of Reduced Urban Air Pollution During COVID-19 Pandemic in Delhi. https://search-ebscohost-com.libdatab.strayer.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=152663621&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Nidhi Verma. July 10, 2021. Profound Implications of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on the Earth’s Ecosystem: A Case Study Using Remote Sensing Data. https://search-ebscohost-com.libdatab.strayer.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=151422853&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Summarize the conclusions in the article in your own words. Support the summary with references to the article.
Analyze whether or not the article provides insights into possible solutions to climate change. Support the insights with evidence from the article or other resources.
Sample Answer
The following paper addresses your request using the article, "The Status of Air Quality in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Remote Sensing Perspective" by Yasin Elshorbany, Hannah C. Kapper, et al. (2021).
The COVID-19 Shutdown as a Global Experiment: Air Quality Insights and Climate Policy Lessons
Summary of Conclusions
The COVID-19 lockdowns in the United States presented a unique, large-scale opportunity to study the direct impact of reduced human activity—specifically vehicular traffic—on air quality. The study by Elshorbany, Kapper, et al. (2021) utilized remote sensing products (satellite data) to investigate changes in key air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide ($\text{NO}_2$), carbon monoxide ($\text{CO}$), tropospheric ozone ($\text{O}_3$), and aerosol optical depth (AOD), across high-traffic states like New York, Florida, Illinois, Texas, and California.
The research concluded that the reduction in traffic volume during the pandemic was effective in immediately reducing two primary vehicle-emitted pollutants: $\text{CO}$ and $\text{NO}_2$. The study found these reductions were particularly significant in regions where traffic is the overwhelming main source of pollution, such as in New York City and Florida (Elshorbany et al., 2021).
However, the findings highlighted that this large-scale reduction in traffic did not result in a uniform improvement in overall air quality across the country, leading to two crucial policy conclusions:
Heterogeneous Impact: In many instances, the reduction in traffic-related emissions ($\text{CO}$ and $\text{NO}_2$) was compensated by emissions from other local sources (e.g., industry) or was significantly affected by meteorological conditions (Elshorbany et al., 2021).
Ozone Complexity: The impact on ozone ($\text{O}_3$), a secondary pollutant, was variable. $\text{O}_3$ concentrations are determined by complex photochemical sensitivity, meaning that a decrease in $\text{NO}_2$ in some areas can actually increase ozone concentrations, demonstrating the non-linear nature of atmospheric chemistry (Elshorbany et al., 2021).
Policy Need for Broader Action: The final policy takeaway was that relying solely on reducing traffic (or vehicle emissions) is insufficient for comprehensive air quality improvement. The authors emphasized that policies to reduce other emissions sources (e.g., industrial emissions) must also be considered, particularly in areas like Illinois and Texas where traffic reduction was not effective in significantly improving air quality (Elshorbany et al., 2021).