NASA Spots 39 Unreported Sources of Air Pollution newKerala.com
go to original June 12, 2016

Satellite Data Gathered by NASA Reveals Dozens of Unreported Man-Made Emission Sites (NewsBeat Social)

Using a new satellite-based method, NASA scientists have located 39 unreported and major human-made sources of toxic sulfur dioxide emissions.

The unreported emission sources, found in the analysis of satellite data from 2005 to 2014, are clusters of coal-burning power plants, smelters, oil and gas operations found notably in the Middle East, but also in Mexico and parts of Russia.

In addition, reported emissions from known sources in these regions were -- in some cases -- two to three times lower than satellite-based estimates.

Altogether, the unreported and under-reported sources account for about 12 percent of all human-made emissions of sulfur dioxide - a discrepancy that can have a large impact on regional air quality, said lead author of the study Chris McLinden, atmospheric scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada in Toronto.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a known health hazard and contributor to acid rain.

Current, sulfur dioxide monitoring activities include the use of emission inventories that are derived from ground-based measurements and factors, such as fuel usage.

"We now have an independent measurement of these emission sources that does not rely on what was known or thought known," McLinden noted.

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