( n the troposphere (the lowest part of t...)Breath of the dragon: ERS-2 and Envisat reveal impact of economic growth on China's air quality
n the troposphere (the lowest part of the atmosphere, extending eight to 16 kilometres in height) is itself a harmful toxic pollutant, a major ingredient of photochemical smog.
"While nitrogen dioxide vertical column concentrations above central and eastern Europe and parts of the East Coast of the United States have been either static or exhibiting a small decrease, there is a clear and significant increase over China," explains John Burrows of the University of Bremen's Institute of Environmental Physics, SCIAMACHY's Principal Investigator.
"Before SCIAMACHY was flying we previously retrieved NO2 data from its precursor instrument, GOME on ESA's ERS-2 mission. Although GOME had lower resolution, the article shows that China's nitrogen dioxide retrievals from the two instruments overlap seamlessly.
"What the combined data show are that nitrogen dioxide levels have risen by around 50% since 1996, and this behaviour is continuing."
Space-based sensors are the only way to carry out effective global and regional monitoring of the atmosphere. While GOME demonstrated the first satellite sensitivity to tropospheric nitrogen dioxide, SCIAMACHY possesses superior performance, with a spatial resolution of 60 x 30 kilometres compared to 320 x 40 km for its predecessor.
SCIAMACHY also observes the atmosphere in two different ways - downwards or nadir-sounding' as well as 'limb-sounding' along the direction of flight - and with a larger spectral range than its predecessor.
The increase in nitrogen dioxide levels seen is an unfortunate side effect of economic success. China's industrial boom has seen it become the world's largest consumer of copper, aluminium and cement and the second bigger importer of oil. Car ownership within the country has been doubling every few years.
"China's nitrogen dioxide concentration varies according to season," Burrows adds. "There is more in the winter as a result of differing emiss
'"/>
Source:European Space Agency
Related biology news :
1. Breathing easy: When it comes to oxygen, a bugs life is full of it
2. Envisat and ERS-2 reveal hidden side of Hurricane Rita
3. Envisat radar surveillance protects endangered prehistoric fish
4. Elusive HIV shape change revealed; Key clue to how virus infects cells
5. Timing is everything: First step in protein building revealed
6. Researchers reveal the infectious impact of salmon farms on wild salmon
7. A bacterial genome reveals new targets to combat infectious disease
8. Scientists reveal molecular secrets of the malaria parasite
9. Studies reveal methods viruses use to sidestep immune system
10. First real-time view of developing neurons reveals surprises, say Stanford researchers
11. Examination of internal wiring of yeast, worm, and fly reveals conserved circuits
| Copyright © 2003-2009 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |