Remote Sensing of Pollution in China

Dan Yu

December 10th 2009

Why China?

• Heavy Industrialization– Large increase in primary energy

consumption mainly fueled by coal

• Large Population– Adverse health effects, premature deaths (3/4

of a million due to air and water pollution)

• Lack of extensive ground-based monitoring system

Population Density

www.temis.nl

Select Remote Sensing Tools Considered:

• OMI

• MOPITT

• MODIS

• SeaWiFS

• Calipso

• SCIAMCHY

OMI

• Ozone Monitoring Instrument

• On board NASA Aura

• Can provide global coverage in a day

• Measure key air quality components

• Distinguish between aerosol types

• Combination of algorithms used to extract data

http://tes.jpl.nasa.gov/uploadedfiles/Eldering_IGARSS_09_v2b.pdf

OMI Average (2005-2006) SO2 burdens over China

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

MODIS

• Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

• On board Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM)

• Captures data in 36 spectral bands

• Images the entire Earth every 1 to 2 days

• Multitude of uses

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/event.php?id=10524

http://nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov/articles/2008/2008_algae.html

2007 Algal Bloom

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

Aerosol Particle Size

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

Hong Kong

SeaWiFS

• Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor

• Onboard OrbView-2 (AKA SeaStar)

• Specifically designed to monitor ocean characteristics…

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/event.php?id=10524

MOPITT

• Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere

• Onboard Terra

• Measure pollution patterns and effects in lower atmosphere– Mainly CO, but can measure methane

• First to use gas correlation spectroscopy

• Swaths are 640 km wide

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=10533

Calipso

• Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations

• Part of A Train

• Actively measures global aerosols and clouds

• Provides data on altitude of aerosol layers in the atmosphere

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

http://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/products/lidar/browse_images/show_detail.php?s=expedited&v=V2-02&browse_date=2009-08-08&orbit_time=18-00-00&page=1&granule_name=CAL_LID_L1_Exp-Prov-V2-02.2009-08-08T18-00-00Z.hdf

http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/additional/science-focus/locus/air_pollution.shtml#omi

SCIAMACHY

• SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CartograpHY

• Onboard ENVISAT

• Primary Objective: Perform global measurements of trace gases in the troposphere and in the stratosphere.

http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/doas/so2_from_scia.htm

www.temis.nl

http://www.sron.nl/images/stories/news/2008/scia_metaan_04.jpg

Conclusions

• Many remote sensing tools can be used – Many other remote sensors not discussed– Overlaps

• Strides to reduce pollution in China– Remote sensors will help track progress– Tracking of areas for federal compliance

Thanks!

Questions?

Works Consulted

• NASA– www.nasa.gov/

• NASA Images– www.nasaimages.org/

• Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service– www.temis.nl

• Netherlands Institute for Space Research– www.sron.nl

• University of Bremen Institute of Environmental Physics– http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/eng/