NASA Images Highlight U.S. Air Quality Improvement – Release Materials

LEAD: The air we breathe is getting cleaner.1. That from nearly 10 years of observations from NASA’s Aura satellite.2. Nitrogen dioxide levels have decreased thanks to technological improvements in cars and power plants. 3. Comparing 2005 to 2011, the biggest gains are in large eastern cities. TAG: These are important developments for those with respiratory difficulties. EXTRA: Nitrogen dioxide levels down by...(see percentages below for select cities).NYC: 32%Philadelphia: 26%Chicago: 43%Atlanta: 42%Los Angeles: 40%Houston: 24% Related pages

NASA satellite data shows the air we breathe is getting cleaner. Nitrogen dioxide levels across the U.S. from 2005 to 2011 can be seen in this video. Red represents areas with high concentrations; blue is low. New York City, the nation’s most populous city, saw a 32 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 periods. The San Francisco Bay Area saw some reduction in nitrogen dioxide between the 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 periods. Emission control devices on power plants helped Atlanta reduce nitrogen dioxide levels by 42 percent between the 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 periods. Nitrogen dioxide levels in Chicago decreased by 43 percent between the 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 periods. In Denver, a 22 percent decrease in nitrogen dioxide was seen between the 2005-2007 and 2009-2011 periods. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/new-nasa-images-highlight-us-air-quality-improvement/) Related pages

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 Anyone 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 reduction of air pollution, or more specifically, nitrogen dioxide.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. Related pages

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 Anyone 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 reduction of air pollution, or more specifically, nitrogen dioxide.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. 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. Related pages

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 Anyone 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 reduction of air pollution, or more specifically, nitrogen dioxide.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. 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. Related pages

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 Anyone 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 reduction of air pollution, or more specifically, nitrogen dioxide.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. Related pages

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. Anyone 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 reduction of air pollution, or more specifically, nitrogen dioxide.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. 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. Related pages