We tested the capability of the flux divergence approach (FDA) to reproduce known NO_x emissions using synthetic NO₂ satellite column retrievals from high-resolution model simulations. The FDA accurately reproduced NO_x emissions when column observations were limited to the boundary layer and when the variability of the NO₂ lifetime, the NO_x : NO₂ ratio, and NO₂ profile shapes were correctly modeled. This introduces strong model dependency, reducing the simplicity of the original FDA formulation.