Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques during the COVID-19 Pandemic to Monitor Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Gas in Kirkuk Governorate

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a valuable tool in the field of air pollution monitoring. By leveraging AI technologies, researchers and authorities can collect and analyze large amounts of data to gain insights into air quality, predict pollutant levels, and assess environmental and health risks. Analysis of data from NASA's Sentinel-P5 satellite revealed a significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide levels in Kirkuk Governorate during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examined climate conditions and the spread of nitrogen dioxide in the governorate throughout 2020, and divided the analysis into different stages. The first phase included the months from January to February, which is a curfew-free period. The second phase, which extended from March to June, represented the period in which the full and partial curfew was in effect. The third phase, which began in July, included lifting the comprehensive curfew in the governorate. Maps of the spatial distribution of nitrogen dioxide clearly show a significant reduction in the dispersion of nitrogen gas in the air. This decrease can be attributed to the measures implemented by Iraq and Kirkuk Governorate to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. These measures, including closures and travel restrictions after the World Health Organization declared the Corona virus a global pandemic, led to a decrease in nitrogen dioxide emissions due to the decrease in energy demand resulting from citizens remaining in their homes and limited movement between governorates.