The U.S. space agency announced that its latest "Atmospheric Chemistry" tool will soon begin transmitting data on urban air details for scientific use. NASA pointed to the rise in air pollution in North American cities following widespread wildfires in Canada over the past months, stating that the pollution monitoring satellite "TEMPO," launched into space earlier this spring, will soon relay information regarding city pollution back to Earth. According to this announcement, the "TEMPO" satellite is the first satellite tool that will measure air quality in North America hourly with a resolution of several "square miles." TEMPO is also capable of collecting details on existing pollutants and air quality from street level to the "stratosphere". NASA also announced that during the "Summer Campaign 2023," a large fleet of aircraft, mobile laboratories, weather balloons, and hundreds of scientists will monitor and track air pollution with unprecedented detail, identifying the sources and how pollution changes "hour by hour" and locations that are dangerously exposed to polluted air. This campaign will focus on identifying "nitrogen dioxide," which is typically emitted from vehicle exhaust and chimneys and is a major contributor to "smog," as well as measuring fine particles, volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde and methane, and carbon dioxide that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere. Twenty universities, several regional consortiums, and state and local governments are assisting NASA in this effort to improve air quality in the studied areas for human breathing. The eastern states of the U.S. are affected by air pollution caused by wildfires in Canada, which have made the air in several American cities smoky. A senior U.S. senator has called for increased efforts to address the consequences of the wildfires in Canada. The ongoing wildfires in Canada have made the air in several U.S. cities "dangerous," and the smoke from these wildfires has led Americans to wear masks.
Efforts for Cleaner Air; NASA Monitors Air Pollution in Major Cities
NASA is launching a new satellite, TEMPO, to monitor air pollution in North American cities, particularly in light of recent wildfires in Canada that have worsened air quality. The initiative involves numerous universities and local governments aiming to improve air quality for residents. This is significant as it highlights the transboundary nature of environmental issues and the need for coordinated efforts.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
NASA announced the launch of the TEMPO satellite to monitor air pollution in North American cities, particularly due to smoke from recent wildfires in Canada. This initiative involves collaboration with various universities and local governments to improve air quality.
- TEMPO is the first satellite to measure air quality in North America hourly.
- The initiative includes a comprehensive monitoring campaign involving aircraft, mobile labs, and hundreds of scientists.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Air pollution is a growing concern globally, exacerbated by natural disasters like wildfires. Monitoring tools like TEMPO can provide critical data for addressing these issues.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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