First observations of SO < inf> 2 from the satellite Suomi NPP OMPS: Widespread air pollution events over China
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-28-2013
Department
Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
Abstract
Severe smog episodes over China in January 2013 received worldwide attention. This air pollution was distinguished by heavy loadings of fine particulate matter and SO2. To characterize these episodes, we employed the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite, Nadir Mapper (OMPS NM), an ultraviolet (UV) spectrometer flying on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) spacecraft since October 2011. We developed an advanced algorithm to quantify SO2 in the lower troposphere and achieved high-quality retrievals from OMPS NM, which are characterized by high precision, ∼0.2 Dobson Units (DU; 1 DU = 2.69×1016molecules/cm 2) for instantaneous field of view SO2 data and low biases (within ±0.2 DU). Here we report SO2retrievals and UV aerosol index data for these pollution events. The SO2 columns and the areas covered by high pollutant concentrations are quantified; the results reveal for the first time the full extent (an area of ∼106km2 containing up to 60 kt of SO2) of these episodes.
Publication Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Recommended Citation
Yang, K.,
Dickerson, R.,
Carn, S.,
Ge, C.,
&
Wang, J.
(2013).
First observations of SO < inf> 2 from the satellite Suomi NPP OMPS: Widespread air pollution events over China.
Geophysical Research Letters,
40(18), 4957-4962.
http://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50952
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/3654