Volume 17, Issue 4 (9-2025)
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Abdollahi A A, Karimi S, Bay N, Ahmadi M, Oveisi N. Integrated Hazard Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Air Pollution Indices in Tehran County (2018–2024). jorar 2025; 17 (4) :202-212
URL: http://jorar.ir/article-1-1035-en.html
URL: http://jorar.ir/article-1-1035-en.html
Faculty of Humanities, Department of Geography, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Abstract: (1000 Views)
INTRODUCTION: Urban air pollution, particularly in densely populated metropolitan areas such as Tehran, has become one of the most serious environmental and public health challenges. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a major pollutant generated by anthropogenic activities, tends to accumulate in the lower atmosphere, especially during cold seasons and under temperature inversion conditions. This study presents an integrated hazard analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution of NO₂ across Tehran County during the winters of 2018–2024, with a particular focus on the interactions between anthropogenic and natural factors influencing its distribution.
METHODS: This descriptive–analytical study employed an integrated approach using daily NO₂ concentration data derived from Sentinel-5P satellite imagery (TROPOMI sensor) for the winter seasons from 2018 to 2024. Spatial extraction and processing were conducted within a GIS environment, including seasonal averaging, raster-to-vector conversion, and spatial analysis to identify and visualize spatiotemporal distribution patterns of NO₂.
FINDINGS: The results revealed significant spatial and temporal variations in NO₂ concentrations over the seven-year study period. During 2018 and 2019, the highest concentrations were concentrated in central Tehran and northeastern districts. A substantial decline was observed in 2020 and 2021, coinciding with mobility restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2022 onward, NO₂ concentrations increased again, with notable growth in southern and eastern areas by 2024. These changes indicate a shift in pollution hotspots from the city center toward peripheral zones, followed by a partial re-centralization pattern, reflecting ongoing urban expansion and intensified human activities in suburban areas.
CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that NO₂ pollution in Tehran constitutes a compound environmental hazard arising from the interaction of anthropogenic drivers, including traffic emissions, industrial activities, and urban development, with natural factors such as topography and atmospheric inversion conditions. The observed changes in NO₂ distribution patterns reflect broader transformations in urban morphology, land-use dynamics, and environmental management practices. These results highlight the need for integrated urban and environmental policies to mitigate air pollution and enhance urban resilience
METHODS: This descriptive–analytical study employed an integrated approach using daily NO₂ concentration data derived from Sentinel-5P satellite imagery (TROPOMI sensor) for the winter seasons from 2018 to 2024. Spatial extraction and processing were conducted within a GIS environment, including seasonal averaging, raster-to-vector conversion, and spatial analysis to identify and visualize spatiotemporal distribution patterns of NO₂.
FINDINGS: The results revealed significant spatial and temporal variations in NO₂ concentrations over the seven-year study period. During 2018 and 2019, the highest concentrations were concentrated in central Tehran and northeastern districts. A substantial decline was observed in 2020 and 2021, coinciding with mobility restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2022 onward, NO₂ concentrations increased again, with notable growth in southern and eastern areas by 2024. These changes indicate a shift in pollution hotspots from the city center toward peripheral zones, followed by a partial re-centralization pattern, reflecting ongoing urban expansion and intensified human activities in suburban areas.
CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that NO₂ pollution in Tehran constitutes a compound environmental hazard arising from the interaction of anthropogenic drivers, including traffic emissions, industrial activities, and urban development, with natural factors such as topography and atmospheric inversion conditions. The observed changes in NO₂ distribution patterns reflect broader transformations in urban morphology, land-use dynamics, and environmental management practices. These results highlight the need for integrated urban and environmental policies to mitigate air pollution and enhance urban resilience
Article Type: Research article |
Subject:
Environmental disasters
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