AIRS Satellite Feed
Carbon Monoxide at 500 Millibars
This map shows AIRS observations of carbon monoxide (CO) at 500 millibars (mb) pressure. Forest fires, agricultural and industrial burning can create large amounts of carbon monoxide and AIRS daily global maps of carbon monoxide allow scientists to follow the global transport of this gas day-to-day.
Pressures of 500 mb correspond to 18,000 feet (5,500 meters) above the surface. Roughly half the mass of Earth s atmosphere's lies in the layer below 500 mb. This level is often used to represent upper level flow conditions because the level is well above the effects of topography and friction and the level is below the region in the upper troposphere where the air flow may experience strong accelerations and decelerations when in the vicinity of the upper jet streams. Since many weather systems tend to follow the wind flow at this level, this level is often considered to symbolize the steering level of these systems. Forest fires, agricultural and industrial burning can create large amounts of carbon monoxide.
