NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have integrated detailed data for the first time with the widely used EJScreen tool for NO2 air pollution detection to achieve a future reduction in air quality disparities in densely populated communities across the United States .
The serious advance of NO2 air pollution
Access to accurate, localized NO2 data will enable organizations like the Baltimore Transit Equity Coalition to better understand air quality challenges and more effectively advocate for the health and well-being of residents in their communities. Prior to this update, EJScreen included information about other pollutants, such as ozone and fine particulate matter, but lacked specific data on NO2, a pollutant known to have detrimental effects on respiratory health, especially in children and older adults.
NASA Health and Air Quality Program Director John Haynes explained the importance of this collaboration with EPA, which reflects NASA’s commitment to using its Earth science capabilities to address critical societal challenges. The incorporation of NO2 data into EJScreen is an example of the value of space-based observations, which serve as an essential resource for environmental justice and public health.
Nitrogen dioxide, which is released when burning fossil fuels fossil fuelscontributes to the formation of surface-level ozone. Often, suburbs located near emission sources, such as roads and factories, are exposed to NO2 at disproportionately high levels, exacerbating health disparities . A recent NASA-supported study revealed that more than 150,000 warehouses in the United States, located mostly in underserved communities, increase local NO2 levels, exacerbating these disparities.
The solution to the nitrogen dioxide risk
Air pollution researcher at George Washington University and co-author of the study, Gaige Kerr, noted that NO2 has a very short lifetime in the air, which translates to higher concentrations in areas where it is emitted. According to Kerr, the inclusion of this data in EJScreen democratizes access to critical air quality information, making it easier for the general public to understand.
On EJScreen uses data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument(OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite, along with computational modeling, to provide annual estimates of average NO2 at the census block level. These data reveal the amount of NO2 present at the surface level to which people in their neighborhoods may be exposed.
On the other hand, EPA environmental protection specialist and EJScreen leader Tai Lung stressed that the consistency of data provided by NASA across the U.S. is invaluable in identifying and mapping disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities.
This dataset was developed in collaboration with George Washington University, the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, and Oregon State University in Corvallis. All of this, thanks to a NASA grant to the Tiger Satellite Data for Environmental Justice team, worked closely with EPA to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the information incorporated into EJScreen.
NASA research instruments
NASA uses an array of instruments on satellites, aircraft and ground stations to continuously collect data on atmospheric pollutants. NASA-supported scientists, along with other researchers, monitor the origins, levels, and atmospheric movements of these pollutants. In addition, their research provides vital data that can guide air quality standards, influence public policy and guide government regulations, with the primary goal of improving people’s quality of life.
The TEMPO instrument and its scope. Source: NASA Langley Research Center
The Aura satellite has been instrumental in these efforts. In the future, the research team could explore using data from NASA’s new TEMPO instrument, which was launched in 2023 and provides hourly diurnal measurements. This advancement could further empower the EPA tool, providing more detailed information on pollution levels throughout the day and supporting more proactive air quality management.
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Source: NASA Science
Photo: NASA Langley Research Center
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