Nitrogen Dioxide Reduction Across the Northeast U.S.
Nitrogen dioxide can impact the respiratory system, and it also contributes to the formation of other pollutants including ground-level ozone and particulates. The gas is produced primarily during the combustion of gasoline in vehicle engines and coal in power plants. Air pollution has decreased even though population and the number of cars on the roads have increased. The shift is the result of regulations, technology improvements and economic changes, scientists say.
This visualization shows tropospheric column concentrations of nitrogen dioxide as detected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite, averaged yearly from 2005-2011. Blue and green denote lower concentrations and orange and red areas denote higher concentrations, ranging from 1e+15 to 5e+15 molecules per square centimeter, respectively.
Along the U.S. East Coast, the relatively flat landscape means almost everyone is downwind of someone else. If wind moves up from the southwest to northeast along the Eastern Seaboard, a so-called "river of pollution" builds up as pollution passes from one city to the next.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio
Animator
- Trent L. Schindler (USRA)
Writer
- Kathryn Hansen (SSAI)
Scientists
- Bryan Duncan (NASA/GSFC)
- Lok Lamsal (USRA)
- Yasuko Yoshida (SSAI)
Producer
- Kayvon Sharghi (USRA)
Project support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET)
Related pages
Nitrogen Dioxide Reduction Across the United States
June 26, 2014, 2 a.m.
Read moreAnyone living in the U.S. for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in NASA satellite images that demonstrate the country s Aura satellite, averaged yearly from 2005-2011. Blue and green denote lower concentrations and orange and red areas denote higher concentrations, ranging from 1e+15 to 5e+15 molecules per square centimeter, respectively. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data only. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with major roads. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2005. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2011. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, as well as major roads and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, as well as major roads and state lines. Color bar
Nitrogen Dioxide Reduction Across the Ohio River Valley
June 26, 2014, 2 a.m.
Read moreAnyone living in the U.S. for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in NASA satellite images that demonstrate the country s Aura satellite, averaged yearly from 2005-2011. Blue and green denote lower concentrations and orange and red areas denote higher concentrations, ranging from 1e+15 to 5e+15 molecules per square centimeter, respectively. The impact of technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide from coal-fired power plants in the Ohio River Valley is apparent in satellite imagery, which shows the signal of pollution blink out over time. Still, while air quality is improving, power plant emissions of carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas – remain an issue. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data only. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with major roads. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2005. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2011. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, as well as major roads and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, as well as major roads and state lines. Color bar
Nitrogen Dioxide Reduction Across the Northeast Corridor
June 26, 2014, 2 a.m.
Read moreAnyone living in the U.S. for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in NASA satellite images that demonstrate the country s Aura satellite, averaged yearly from 2005-2011. Blue and green denote lower concentrations and orange and red areas denote higher concentrations, ranging from 1e+15 to 5e+15 molecules per square centimeter, respectively. Pollution builds up along the U.S. East Coast as it passes from one city to the next, particularly in the Northeast Corridor. These cities include Richmond, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and all the smaller cities in between. Some of the largest absolute changes in nitrogen dioxide have occurred in this corridor. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data only. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with major roads. This visualization shows nitrogen dioxide data with state lines and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2005. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data averaged over 2011. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, and major roads. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2005, as well as major roads and state lines. This still shows nitrogen dioxide data, averaged over 2011, as well as major roads and state lines. Color bar
Nitrogen Dioxide Reduction in U.S. Cities
June 26, 2014, 2 a.m.
Read moreAnyone living in the U.S. for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in NASA satellite images that demonstrate the country s Aura satellite. Images show how nitrogen dioxide concentrations during spring and summer months, averaged from 2005-2007, compare to the average from 2009-2011. Blue and green denote lower concentrations and orange and red areas denote higher concentrations, ranging from 1e+15 to 5e+15 molecules per square centimeter, respectively. Atlanta: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Atlanta: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Chicago: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Chicago: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Denver: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Denver: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Houston: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Houston: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Los Angeles/San Diego: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Los Angeles/San Diego: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. New York: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. New York: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Philadelphia: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. Philadelphia: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. San Francisco Bay Area: spring-summer average from 2005-2007. San Francisco Bay Area: spring-summer average from 2009-2011. Tampa: annual average from 2005. Tampa: annual average from 2011. California: annual average from 2005. California: annual average from 2011.
NASA Images Highlight U.S. Air Quality Improvement – Release Materials
June 26, 2014, 2 a.m.
Read moreAnyone living in the U.S. for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in NASA satellite images that demonstrate the country s Aura satellite, averaged yearly from 2005-2011. AtlantaSatellite data show that Atlanta has seen a 42 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. ChicagoSatellite data show that Chicago has seen a 43 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. DenverSatellite data show that Denver has seen a 22 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. HoustonSatellite data show that Houston has seen a 24 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. Los Angeles-San DiegoSatellite data show that the Los Angeles area has seen a 40 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. New York CitySatellite data show that New York City has seen a 32 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. PhiladelphiaSatellite data show that Philadelphia has seen a 26 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. San Francisco Bay AreaThese images show how nitrogen dioxide in the San Francisco Bay area changed between the 2005-2007 (left) and 2009-2011 (right) periods. TampaThese images show nitrogen dioxide in Tampa, averaged over 2005 (left) and 2011 (right). Northeast U.S. – 2005 Still for SliderClose up of nitrogen dioxide in the Northeast U.S. averaged over 2005. Northeast U.S. – 2011 Still for SliderClose up of nitrogen dioxide in the Northeast U.S. averaged over 2011. Ohio River Valley – 2005 Still for SliderClose up of nitrogen dioxide in the Ohio River Valley averaged over 2005. Ohio River Valley – 2011 Still for SliderClose up of nitrogen dioxide in the Ohio River Valley averaged over 2011. This visualization corresponds to a hyperwall show of the material above. For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/](http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/)