Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Link Between VCD Trop NO 2 and Population Size for Provinces in Sumatra Island During 2012-2020

Nitrogen dioxide is one of the primary air contaminants that can cause severe ecological and human health effects. This study used the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) sensor aboard AURA satellite to analyze the spatial and temporal variations of VCDtrop (Tropospheric vertical Columnar density) NO2 concentration in Sumatra, Indonesia, during 2012-2020. Based on the seasonal characteristics, the VCDtrop NO2 amounts in the east part of Sumatra were higher in the dry season and slightly lower in the wet season. The increasing trend was recorded in some provinces; North Sumatra, Riau, South Sumatra, and Lampung with the accumulation rate around 8-9 x 10(15) molecules/cm(2) from 2012 to 2014. Higher VCDtrop NO2 concentrations were associated with an increase in population size. As a whole, this finding can be useful to arrange air pollution management associated with population growth in urban areas.