Pollution hotspots revealed from satellite images.

A global map of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere has revealed the most precise view yet of pollution hotspots around the world.

The map, based on 18 months� worth of satellite data, shows very high levels of NO2 above major European and North American cities and across much of north-east China.


www.newscientist.com...

Although NO2 is formed naturally by lightning and by microbes in the ground, it is also released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels by power plants, heavy industry and vehicles. Large quantities of the gas can cause respiratory problems and lung damage, and can also contribute to harmful ozone forming near ground level.

This map even shows hotspots in shipping lanes! The worst pollution spots are from heavily populated areas of course but it is interesting to see what overpopulation and industry is doing to the earth!

Wow thati is too cool! Look at China. Lucky me. I live in a hot spot in the US. Hmmm... Canada looks clean.

There is a bigger and less compressed version of that map here [1.6mb] and more information at the ESA website.

Looks like the two largest polluters in Canada are the cities of Edmonton and Calgary. There's a big oil and gas industry in Alberta, so I guess that's why.

Ummm.... where did New Zealand and Tasmania go? And oh crap, seems I'm moving from a relatively clean area (queensland, australia), to a heavily polluted one (south western ontario, canada)... dfh out

Originally posted by Indy
Wow thati is too cool! Look at China.

Not a surprise.
Their energy production relies heavily on coal and amount of car in cities is "exploding".

Other thing is that this map fits pretty well to population density. (at least in western countries)

Everyone barking cause the US is not agreed on the Kyoto Accords.....
Will those that are doing the barking please feel free to comment on China in all this?!



seekerof