HAQ_TROPOMI_NO2: Global Annual Tropospheric NO2 at 0.1-Degree Grid

Annual averages of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vertical column density are provided globally at a 0.1° x 0.1° (~10 km²) spatial resolution. The dataset is derived from the TROPOMI instrument on the Sentinel-5P satellite, using the European Space Agency's version 2.4 algorithm, and is intended for long-term air pollution trend analysis. Data coverage began in January 2019 and continues to the present.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in NO2 pollution for specific regions based on annual global averages.
• Correlating satellite-derived tropospheric NO2 columns with ground-level emissions in urban areas.
• Assessing the impact of policy changes on NOx emissions using a consistent, multi-year global dataset.
• Studying the spatial distribution of a key ozone and particulate matter precursor on a global scale.

Strengths

• Provides a consistent, long-term record for trend analysis, with data from January 2019 to present.
• Offers high spatial resolution (0.1° x 0.1°, ~10 km²) for global tropospheric NO2 measurements.
• Derived from a standardized algorithm (ESA v2.4) applied to TROPOMI Level 2 data, ensuring methodological consistency.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; specific column names, row counts, and file sizes are not provided by any source.
• Represents a single daily overpass time (~13:30 local time), which may not capture diurnal variations in NO2 concentrations.
• One source lists a license as 'other-license-specified' while another lists 'None', creating ambiguity about usage rights.

Provenance

Source

George Washington University Air, Climate and Health Laboratory, developed as part of the NASA Health Air Quality Applied Science Team (HAQAST).

Collection Method

Level 3 annual averages derived from Level 2 TROPOMI NO2 files (ESA version 2.4) acquired from low Earth orbit (~824 km altitude).

Time Range

January 2019 to present.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 according to nasa_earthdata and datagov.

Geography

Global.