Unveiling Air Pollution in Crimean Mountain Rivers: Analysis of Sentinel-5 Satellite Images Using Google Earth Engine (GEE)

Abstract

This article presents an assessment of atmospheric pollutant concentrations based on state-of-the-art geoinformation research methods that utilize Sentinel-5 satellite imagery, the cloud computing platform Google Earth Engine (GEE), and ArcGIS 10.8 software. The spatial distributions of some pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, methane) in the atmosphere are analyzed on the example of the basins of the Zapadnyy Bulganak, Alma, Kacha, Belbek, and Chernaya rivers on the north-western slope of the Crimean Mountains. The concentrations of the average annual and average monthly values of pollutants for each catchment area are compared. The GEE (Google Earth Engine) platform is used for extracting annual and monthly average rasters of pollutant substances, while ArcGIS is utilized for enhanced data visualization and in-depth analytical processing. Background concentrations of pollutants within protected natural areas are calculated. By comparing the spatial and temporal distribution of pollutant values with the background concentrations within these protected areas, a complex index of atmospheric pollution is constructed. The spatial and temporal variability of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations has been thoroughly examined. Based on the regression analysis (R > 0.85), the field of values of the total amount of emissions (which are analyzed for only six points in the study area and in the surrounding areas) was restored on the basis of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the field of distribution of nitrogen dioxide values (NO2). Since air pollution can have negative consequences, both for human health and for the ecosystem as a whole, this study is of great importance for assessing the ecological situation within the river basins of the north-western slope of the Crimean Mountains. This work also contributes to a general understanding of the problem of gas emissions, whose study is becoming increasingly relevant. The aim of this research is to assess the potential application of Sentinel-5 satellite imagery for air quality assessment and pollution analysis within the river basins of the north-western slopes of the Crimean Mountains. The significance of this study lies in the innovative use of Sentinel-5 satellite imagery to investigate air pollution in extensive regions where a regular network of observation points is lacking.