Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4490
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4490
24 Sep 2025
 | 24 Sep 2025

High resolution quantification of SO2 emissions over India based on TROPOMI observations

Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt

Abstract. India is a country with high sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions mainly resulting from the large number of coal-fired thermal power plants. SO2 column observations from the Sentinel-5P Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite instrument, in combination with inverse modelling techniques can be used to derive observation-based SO2 emission estimates. The flux-divergence emission estimation method is sensitive to point source emissions and is well-suited for estimating SO2 emissions in India. However, the flux-divergence method combined with satellite observations spreads out the calculated emissions to grid cells in the neighborhood of the point source. This spreading effect weakens the signal of point sources at their exact location, making it harder to quantify the exact emissions. In this paper, we describe a deconvolution algorithm to reverse the spreading and sharpen the emission signals. Our deconvolution algorithm ensures mass conservation of the emissions. We apply the deconvolution algorithm on gridded SO2 emissions at a high spatial resolution of 0.025° × 0.025° (2.5 km × 2.5 km) derived from TROPOMI observations with a typical mean footprint size of 6 km. After the deconvolution, the effective spatial resolution of emissions is enhanced to match the grid cell resolutions. The point source emissions significantly increase at their exact locations and emissions in the neighbor grid cells become lower. In our inventory, about 80 % of coal-based power plants with a capacity above 100 MW are detected at the correct location, while the remaining 20 % fall below the noise level. The detected power plants account for 99 % of India’s total coal-based power generation. We also identify 7 previously unreported SO2 point sources, including coal-based thermal power plants, cement plants, copper industry, and crude oil facility. This deconvolution algorithm improves emission detection and can also be used for other pollutants emitted by point sources to enhance the accuracy of emission inventories.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Apr 2026
Super-resolution localization and quantification of SO2 emissions over India using TROPOMI observations
Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2737–2750, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2737-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2737-2026, 2026
Short summary
Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-4490', Christian Borger, 07 Jan 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Yutao Chen, 25 Feb 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-4490', Anonymous Referee #2, 11 Jan 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Yutao Chen, 25 Feb 2026

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-4490', Christian Borger, 07 Jan 2026
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Yutao Chen, 25 Feb 2026
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-4490', Anonymous Referee #2, 11 Jan 2026
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Yutao Chen, 25 Feb 2026

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
AR by Yutao Chen on behalf of the Authors (25 Feb 2026)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (26 Feb 2026) by Zhao-Cheng Zeng
RR by Christian Borger (05 Mar 2026)
ED: Publish as is (12 Mar 2026) by Zhao-Cheng Zeng
AR by Yutao Chen on behalf of the Authors (24 Mar 2026)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

22 Apr 2026
Super-resolution localization and quantification of SO2 emissions over India using TROPOMI observations
Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2737–2750, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2737-2026,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2737-2026, 2026
Short summary
Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt
Yutao Chen, Ronald J. van der A, Jieying Ding, Henk Eskes, Felipe Cifuentes, and Pieternel F. Levelt

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Short summary
The SO2 gridded point emissions calculated from satellite measurements appear spread out around the source. This is inherent to the inversion method and the resolution of the satellite measurements. We made a new deconvolution algorithm to reverse the spreading and make the emission signal clearer. With this method, the effective resolution is improved. Known sources can be located more precisely, and new ones can be found from space. The same approach also works for other gases like NOx.
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