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The US space agency launched a powerful new instrument into space on Saturday to track air pollution, providing unprecedented resolution in monitoring major air pollutants.
The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument will improve human life by changing the way scientists observe air quality from space.
“The TEMPO mission is about more than just studying pollution — it’s about improving life on Earth for all. By monitoring the effects of everything from rush-hour traffic to pollution from forest fires and volcanoes, NASA data will help improve air quality across North America and protect our planet,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
NASA’s TEMPO rocket lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
TEMPO will be the first space-based instrument to measure air quality over North America hourly during the day from a fixed geostationary orbit above the equator — far better than the existing limits of about 100 square miles.
The data will be used in scientific studies of pollution, such as rush hour pollution, the potential for improved air quality alerts, the effects of lightning on ozone, the movement of pollution from forest fires and volcanoes, and even the effects of fertiliser application.
“NASA makes data from instruments like TEMPO easily accessible to everyone,” said Karen St. Germain, division director for NASA’s Earth Sciences Division.
According to NASA, TEMPO’s observations will significantly improve the scientific data record on air pollution, including ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and formaldehyde, not only over the continental United States, but also over Canada, Mexico, Cuba, the Bahamas, and a portion of the island of Hispaniola.
TEMPO will also be part of a virtual air quality satellite constellation that will track pollution across the Northern Hemisphere from its geostationary orbit.
““This marks a new era in our ability to observe air pollution over North America, including the entire continental US,” said Barry Lefer, TEMPO programme scientist.
Source:OCN
