Initial Glimpse from NASA’s Fresh Air Pollution Satellite
Scientists activated a new satellite instrument this summer, offering a glimpse of what will soon become the nation's inaugural continuous air pollution record. Positioned above North America, the satellite is set to provide scientists with hourly updates on nationwide air pollution during daylight hours. Initial images released by researchers reveal shifts in nitrogen dioxide pollution across the United States within a day.
"It's truly thrilling to witness the instrument performing as anticipated," said Xiong Liu, the deputy mission director at the Center for Astrophysics managed by Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution. Named TEMPO, the satellite instrument is designed to measure several other pollutants as well.
These images coincide with a summer marked by notably po...
