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Smog in Shanghai, China

North America

Environmental regulations on NOx emissions from automobiles and power plants in the United States led to a reduction in NO2 levels between 20 and 40% over American cities from 2005 to 2016.  In fact, the only significant increases over the U.S. occurred over areas of intensive oil and natural gas extraction in western North Dakota and western Texas, indicating an increase in activities and, subsequently, NOx emissions from flaring of natural gas and the heavy machinery used to extract the oil and natural gas.  Significant decreases in Mexico occurred over Mazatlan and Guadalajara (−15-−20%) with insignificant changes over other cities.  Mexico City had considerable spatial heterogeneity in the changes in NO2 levels, with large increases to the west and north of the city center and large decreases in the city center and to the northeast.

US Regional Decreases in NO2, 2005-2016

US Regional Decreases in NO2, 2005-2016
Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The trend map of the United States shows the large decreases in nitrogen dioxide concentrations from 2005 to 2016. Only decreases are highlighted in this map.

USA trend color bar

Texas Regional Changes in NO2, 2005-2016

Texas Regional Changes in NO2, 2005-2016
Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The trend map for Texas shows the percent change in nitrogen dioxide concentrations from 2005 to 2016.

Texas color bar

North Dakota Regional Changes in NO2, 2005-2016

North Dakota Regional Changes in NO2, 2005-2016
Image Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The trend map for North Dakota shows the percent change in nitrogen dioxide concentrations from 2005 to 2016.

North Dakota color bar

NPP VIIRS Lights at Night

NPP VIIRS Lights at Night

The NPP VIIRS Lights at Night show bright lights (circled) co-located with the increases in NO2 levels over three areas of oil and natural gas extraction activities in western Texas and western North Dakota.

City Country Region 2021 Average NO2 Change (%) Uncertainty (±%)
AES Petersburg

United States

North America 2.791e+15 -44.2334 6.49
Albuquerque

USA

North America 1.239e+15 -35.9518 5.36
Atlanta

United States

North America 3.307e+15 -50.5776 5.89
Austin

USA

North America 2.385e+15 -18.9408 5.93
Baltimore

USA

North America 4.430e+15 -54.3779 4.92
Barry

United States

North America 1.902e+15 -32.8677 6.56
Belews Creek

United States

North America 2.658e+15 -42.4622 6.67
Birmingham_US

USA

North America 2.350e+15 -50.0560 6.44
Boston

United States

North America 3.323e+15 -44.9294 6.09
Bowen

United States

North America 2.570e+15 -43.4130 6.38
Buffalo

USA

North America 3.102e+15 -39.6307 8.12
Calgary

Canada

North America 1.415e+15 -27.7303 7.22
Chalk Point LLC

United States

North America 3.272e+15 -51.1193 5.79
Charlotte

USA

North America 2.786e+15 -46.8277 6.24
Chicago

United States

North America 5.975e+15 -50.7316 5.72
Cincinnati

USA

North America 3.913e+15 -48.2424 6.32
Cleveland

USA

North America 3.882e+15 -41.4770 7.68
Colstrip

United States

North America 9.740e+14 -31.5447 6.91
Cross

United States

North America 1.799e+15 -42.0102 6.81
Crystal River

United States

North America 1.616e+15 -43.4911 6.37
Cumberland

United States

North America 2.310e+15 -39.7853 7.12
Dallas Fort Worth

USA

North America 3.511e+15 -32.7293 5.56
Denver

USA

North America 2.356e+15 -50.2440 5.65
Detroit

United States

North America 4.875e+15 -45.2101 6.79
E C Gaston

United States

North America 1.878e+15 -47.3089 6.33
Edmonton

Canada

North America 2.431e+15 -33.0049 7.93
FirstEnergy Harrison Power Station

United States

North America 2.701e+15 -43.7325 7.00
FirstEnergy W H Sammis

United States

North America 3.991e+15 -45.0447 7.69
Fort Myers

United States

North America 1.184e+15 -23.9041 5.64
Gavin Power LLC

United States

North America 2.607e+15 -52.2829 6.75
Ghent

United States

North America 3.057e+15 -46.7297 6.59
Gibson

United States

North America 2.463e+15 -38.7703 6.58
H L Culbreath Bayside Power Station

United States

North America 1.895e+15 -45.5255 5.64
Hines Energy Complex

United States

North America 1.758e+15 -32.9990 5.39
Homer City Generating Station

United States

North America 4.218e+15 -49.2771 6.86
Houston

United States

North America 3.885e+15 -27.1591 6.81
Jack McDonough

United States

North America 3.290e+15 -49.7549 6.05
Jacksonville

USA

North America 2.032e+15 -40.4067 4.82
James H Miller Jr

United States

North America 2.243e+15 -48.4946 6.49
Jeffrey Energy Center

United States

North America 1.632e+15 -31.8610 6.95
Jim Bridger

United States

North America 8.483e+14 -39.0160 5.76
John E Amos

United States

North America 2.393e+15 -54.3235 6.62
Kansas City

USA

North America 2.368e+15 -47.0267 6.02
Labadie

United States

North America 2.037e+15 -27.4177 7.17
Las Vegas

USA

North America 2.157e+15 -51.4539 5.54
Los Angeles

USA

North America 6.732e+15 -64.0967 4.52
Manatee

United States

North America 1.676e+15 -36.2874 6.02
Marshall

United States

North America 2.787e+15 -44.4251 6.15
Martin

United States

North America 1.457e+15 -24.7494 5.21
Martin Lake

United States

North America 2.196e+15 -32.0940 6.73
Memphis

USA

North America 2.352e+15 -38.2412 6.80
Miami

United States

North America 1.555e+15 -38.0915 5.27
Milwaukee

USA

North America 3.325e+15 -38.1442 7.06
Minneapolis

USA

North America 2.424e+15 -46.9292 8.58
Missoula

USA

North America 5.837e+14 -24.6543 7.40
Monroe

United States

North America 4.023e+15 -42.9680 7.12
Montreal

Canada

North America 2.313e+15 -33.2252 8.93
Mystic Generating Station

United States

North America 3.323e+15 -44.9294 6.09
Nashville

USA

North America 2.631e+15 -43.5509 6.40
New Orleans

USA

North America 2.065e+15 -35.5892 6.85
New York

USA

North America 6.972e+15 -56.7551 5.23
Nine Mile Point

United States

North America 2.065e+15 -35.5892 6.85
Nuuk

Greenland

North America 2.217e+14 8.29953 21.25
Oklahoma City

USA

North America 2.069e+15 -22.0306 5.79
Orlando

USA

North America 2.268e+15 -36.6676 4.37
Ottawa

Canada

North America 1.525e+15 -15.6617 13.78
Paradise

United States

North America 2.761e+15 -44.3952 6.94
Philadelphia

United States

North America 5.080e+15 -54.9549 5.28
Phoenix Mesa

USA

North America 2.710e+15 -53.1885 5.62
Pittsburgh

USA

North America 4.353e+15 -49.3337 7.54
Portland

USA

North America 1.735e+15 -49.8235 6.23
Quebec

Canada

North America 1.389e+15 -18.0646 8.72
R M Schahfer

United States

North America 2.913e+15 -39.2930 7.55
Raleigh

USA

North America 2.450e+15 -47.0130 5.96
Ravenswood

United States

North America 7.016e+15 -57.9337 5.42
Rockport

United States

North America 2.897e+15 -46.9407 6.15
Roxboro

United States

North America 2.705e+15 -41.8851 6.35
Sacramento

USA

North America 2.535e+15 -47.4397 5.67
Saint Louis

USA

North America 2.623e+15 -46.7902 5.78
Salt Lake City

USA

North America 2.569e+15 -40.2864 8.83
San Antonio

USA

North America 2.375e+15 -16.1197 6.05
San Diego

USA

North America 2.381e+15 -48.8178 7.65
San Francisco

USA

North America 2.365e+15 -52.2601 6.06
Sanford

United States

North America 2.285e+15 -31.8909 4.74
Scherer

United States

North America 2.137e+15 -48.8984 7.26
Seattle

USA

North America 3.552e+15 -52.5434 6.09
Sherburne County

United States

North America 1.701e+15 -32.5892 10.04
Sherwood H Smith Jr Energy Complex

United States

North America 2.277e+15 -37.1535 7.29
Spokane

USA

North America 1.128e+15 -21.5487 5.92
Sundance

Canada

North America 1.857e+15 -39.0090 10.37
Tampa

USA

North America 1.866e+15 -45.0839 5.67
Toronto

Canada

North America 4.463e+15 -32.0592 7.42
Trimble County

United States

North America 3.079e+15 -47.5396 6.82
Union Power Station

United States

North America 1.529e+15 -19.7824 9.09
Vancouver

Canada

North America 3.034e+15 -41.8311 5.82
Victor J Daniel Jr

United States

North America 1.904e+15 -33.6097 6.28
W A Parish

United States

North America 2.839e+15 -14.6598 7.60
Washington D.C.

USA

North America 4.283e+15 -50.6030 5.13
West County Energy Center

United States

North America 1.664e+15 -30.5445 5.10