https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04597-8
Regular Article
From fractals to networks: exploring the complex interplay of pollutants and air quality index in New Delhi
Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, 695581, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Received:
1
July
2023
Accepted:
16
October
2023
Published online:
27
October
2023
The paper explores the intricate relationship between pollutants and air quality index (AQI) through fractalysis and complex network analysis. New Delhi, known for its high pollution levels, is selected for analysis using hourly air quality data from 2015 to 2017. The study examines diurnal and monthly variations of pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, NO, NO2, and NH3. The investigation using power spectral fractalysis reveals a direct relationship between power spectral fractal dimension (DP) and AQI, with a notable observation of DP reaching a minimum during July–August, while a converse trend is observed during November–December. The analysis reveals the multifractal nature of the data, as indicated by the sigmoidal plot and the relationships among fractal dimensions. While the fractal dimension provides a global assessment of dimensionality and self-affinity, the singularity spectrum and local connected fractal dimension highlight localised scaling variations within the multifractal system. Complex network analysis aids in visualising and analysing the complex interplay of pollutants, identifying PM2.5 and PM10 as significant contributors to AQI. These findings emphasise addressing human-caused pollution to mitigate the associated socioeconomic and health challenges.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
