Bounding the role of domestic heating in haze pollution of Beijing based on satellite and surface observations

Domestic heating is a significant contributor to haze pollution in winter. Its role was estimated in a series of severe haze pollutions based on satellite and surface observations. The variations of haze clouds observed from satellite had different trends with the surface observations, indicating that anthropogenic emissions near surface had no direct relationship with haze clouds. Statistical results showed that domestic heating contributed to the increase in most of the monitored air pollutants, especially for SO₂. Spatial interpolation and overlay analysis were conducted to get its spatial features in order to clarify its sources. Under the influence of transport from industrial regions of Hebei and Tianjin, the spatial distribution of particulate matter (PM_2.5) induced from domestic heating were mainly concentrated in the south of Beijing. However, due to the scattered coal-fired heating in rural areas, domestic heating-induced gaseous pollutant (SO₂), were mainly concentrated in suburban regions.