October 31, 2009
California has high NO2
Haze, responsible for mostly moderate air quality, lingers over California (left image; UW MODIS Direct). EPA AIRNow provides an air quality map (right image) that shows moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups AQI in the region.
 |  |
Tropsopheric NO2 columns (shown below) produced from OMI (refer to TEMIS- Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service) revealed very high levels in California. Nitrogen Oxides are emitted from biomass burning and combustion processes (such as fossil fuel combustion). Nitrogen Oxides play an important role in the formation of tropospheric ozone. Thus, local sources such as emissions from cars and perhaps smoke from recent fires may be contributing to the poor air quality (~elevated PM2.5 & ozone) in California.
