Three-Dimensional Structural and Diurnal Dynamics of NO <b> <sub>2</sub> </b> and HCHO by UAV Hyperspectral in Bangkok
Fine-scale characterization of urban air pollution remains constrained by observational limitations. Here we used UAV-based hyperspectral remote sensing to conduct multitemporal and multialtitude measurements in Bangkok. High-temporal-resolution observations resolve pronounced diurnal signatures of traffic emissions: NO 2 peaks in the morning under stable boundary layer conditions, whereas HCHO peaks in the afternoon, consistent with secondary photochemical production. At 100 m resolution, UAV measurements capture sharp spatial gradients and resolve localized concentration enhancements, enabling precise identification of pollution hotspots. Three-dimensional observations further show that vertical variability is not governed by simple attenuation but by structural reorganization: NO 2 decreases rapidly with altitude, accompanied by strong gradient damping, whereas HCHO maintains coherent spatial patterns across height. This contrast indicates distinct three-dimensional organization regimes for primary and secondary species. By simultaneously delivering high temporal, spatial, and vertical resolution, UAV observations provide unprecedented constraints on fine-scale urban pollution structure. These results establish UAV platforms as an effective complementary tool for three-dimensional atmospheric monitoring and for constraining urban atmospheric chemistry models.
Authors
- Chonlada Bennett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7297-5830)
- Chengzhi Xing (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0265-2358)
- Worapop Thongsame (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1706-627X)
- Cheng Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3759-9219)
- Tiliang Zou
- Jeerasak Longmali
- Wei Tan
- Titaporn Supasri
Institutions
- University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (CN)
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science (GB)
- Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (CN)
- National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (TH)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Published
- 2026-07-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c05199
- Primary Topic
- Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- National Key Research and Development Program of China