Urban Characteristics Driving Spatial Heterogeneity of Ozone Pollution: Insights from Spatial Machine Learning and Geoshapley Analysis

Impact Factor:2.0

DOI number:10.1007/s12061-026-09904-1

Journal:Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy

Abstract:Ground-level ozone pollution is a pressing urban environmental challenge shaped by complex formation mechanisms, spatial heterogeneity, and nonlinear responses to precursor emissions. Effective management requires understanding these dynamics and their drivers, including urban form and sectoral activities. This study develops a computational framework that integrates built-environment indicators, emission proxies, and satellite-derived observations within a spatial machine learning setting. The study area is partitioned into fine-grained hexagons using Uber’s H3 system, with five-dimensional (5D) built-environment indicators derived from multi-source data. Ozone sensitivity is inferred from the HCHO/NO2 ratio retrieved from Sentinel-5P, while spatial proxies for industrial, traffic, biogenic, and residential emissions are constructed from land-use, vegetation, population, and nighttime lights. Recognizing both local sources and spatial spillovers, we employ XGBoost with GeoShapley to predict ozone concentrations and interpret their nonlinear and spatially varying effects. Results reveal heterogeneous impacts of urban form and emissions, supporting differentiated mitigation strategies and advancing spatially interpretable machine learning in air quality research.

Indexed by:Journal articles

Document Code:135

Volume:19

Translation or Not:no

Date of Publication:2026-05-29

Included Journals:SCI

Links to published journals:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12061-026-09904-1