Question

What do the IITM scientists say about the correlation of pollution sources and the concentration of nitrogen dioxide

Answer 1

The satellite data of tropospheric pollution over Asia shows that there has been a rise in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) level over India and China. It is due to usage of more fossil fuel. At the same time, there is a decline in the level of nitrogen dioxide in Europe and US, said Andreas Richter, senior scientist, University of Bremen, Germany. He was speaking at the Indo-German workshop on 'challenges and opportunities in air pollution and climate change' organised by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune on Monday. Richter said that there is concern regarding the rise. "The increase in nitrogen dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is related to economic activities. The sources of nitrogen dioxide include emission from vehicles, power plants, forest fire and lightning, among others. In the case of India, the rise in nitrogen dioxide is mainly due to emission from vehicles,'' he said. He stressed that satellite remote sensing observations are valuable tools for observation of trophospheric pollution like nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, among others. Raghu Murtugudde, professor at University of Maryland, USA, who was speaking on 'climate change, water quality and human health' said that climate change will bring in regional weather changes like heat waves, extreme weather, temperature, humidity, precipitation and vegetation changes. On health effects due to climate change, he said that it will lead to heat-cold related to morbidity and mortality, extreme weather-related morbidity, airborne allergens and pathogens, water and food-borne diseases, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases, food and water shortage effects, infectious and other health effects. Around 50 students from various fields participated in the workshop. There will be an informal discussion between senior scientists and young Indian researchers on research and career opportunities in Germany and India on January 17. Around five students will be selected for specific PhD and postdoctoral research programmes. There will be a public lecture on 'Does the atmosphere help us to get rid of air pollution? The self-cleaning capacity in global change' by Andreas Wahner, an eminent atmospheric scientist and director of the Institute of Energy and Climate Research - Troposphere, Julich, Germany, at 5.30 pm at the NCL auditorium, Pashan Road. It will follow screening of 'SAFAR - The Journey of Air' - an inspirational scientific documentary film by IITM.