Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration over the US (24 Sep-7 Nov 2004)

  • Credit

    NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

NO2 concentration over the United States from September 24, 2004 till November 7, 2004

Nitrogen dioxide, NO2, is a traffic-related pollutant. Emmisions are generally highest in urban rather than rural areas. Annual mean concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in urban areas are generally in the range 10-45 ppb, and lower in rural areas. Levels vary significantly throughout the day, with peaks generally occurring twice daily as a consequence of rush hour traffic. Concentrations can be as high as 200 ppb. Particulate matter is very fine and can be carried deep into the lungs where they can cause inflammation and a worsening of the condition of people with heart and lung disease. Further, the problem is not necessarily concentrated in the inner cities. Because many major road / motorway interchange complexes are situated in semi-rural areas, under conditions of near-stationary traffic, a rapid build-up of engine exhaust pollution can occur, which if the low-level atmospheric conditions are correct, will not be dispersed.

This image shows Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) from October 8, 2004 on top of the Earth At night image. Nitrogen Dioxide concentration is clearly evident over the San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Toronto, Birmingham, Washington DC,Philadelphia, and New York. Clouds that obscure the satellite's ability to measure NO2 cover several other urban areas like Kansas City, St. Louis, and Atlanta.

Metadata

  • Sensor

    Aura/OMI

  • Animation ID

    3073

  • Video ID

    NONE

  • Start Timecode

    00:00:00:00

  • End Timecode

    00:00:00:00

  • Animator

    Lori Perkins

  • Studio

    SVS

  • Visualization Date

    2004/12/02

  • Scientist

    Ernest Hilsenrath (NASA/GSFC), Mark Schoeberl (NASA/GSFC), Pepijn Veefkind (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute KNMI)

  • Datasets

    Earth at Night

  • Keywords

    pollutant, nitrous dioxide, urban, cities, kyoto

  • DLESE Subject

    atmospheric science

  • Data Date

    2004/09/24 - 2004/11/7

  • Pao ID

    G04-064

  • Story URL

    http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/aura_first.html

  • Animation Type

    Stills