Silver linings in the dark clouds of COVID-19: Improvement of air quality over India and Delhi metropolitan area from measurements and WRF-CHIMERE model simulations

The current study examines the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown (25th March until May 17, 2020) period in particulate matter (PM) concentrations and air pollutants (NOx, SO2, CO, NH3, and O3) at 63 stations located at Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana states within the Delhi-NCR, India. Large average reductions are recorded between the stations in each state such as PM10 (−46 to −58%), PM2.5 (−49 to −55%), NO2 (−27 to −58%), NO (−54% to −59%), CO (−4 to −44%), NH3 (−2 to −38%), while a slight increase is observed for O3 (+4 to +6%) during the lockdown period compared to same periods in previous years. Furthermore, PM and air pollutants are significantly reduced during lockdown compared to the respective period in previous years, while a significant increase in pollution levels is observed after the re-opening of economy. The meteorological changes were rather marginal between the examined periods in order to justify such large reductions in pollution levels, which are mostly attributed to traffic-related pollutants (NOx, CO and road-dust PM). The WRF-CHIMERE model simulations reveal a remarkable reduction in PM2.5, NO2 and SO2 levels over whole Indian subcontinent and mostly over urban areas, due to limitation in emissions from the traffic and industrial sectors. A PM2.5 reduction of −48% was simulated in Delhi in great consistency with measurements, rendering the model as a powerful tool for simulations of lower pollution levels during lockdown period. [Display omitted] •COVID-19 lockdown drastically reduced PM and NO2 concentrations by more than 50% in Delhi-NCR.•Reduction in AOD is higher over the polluted northern India.•Largest reduction of NO2 over northern and eastern parts of the Indian subcontinent.•Remarkable variability in pollution changes between stations of different characteristics.•WRF-CHIMERE model simulations are in good agreement with measurements.