Air Quality Remote Sensing Program
Emissions Products
Emissions from both natural and anthropogenic sources contribute to
poor air quality. Biomass burning (prescribed and wild fires) release
huge amounts of smoke (primary particulates dominated by black carbon) and
trace gases into the atmosphere. Power plants, oil refineries, and other
industrial sources release emissions NO2 (nitrogen dioxide),
H2CO (formaldehyde), SO2 (sulfur dioxide), and
other organic compounds leading to poor air quality as well. The EPA
compiles National Emissions Inventory (NEI) every year for a number of critical
environmental management and policy activities such as tracking the Clean Air Act and
Clean Air Interstate Rule. Emissions data are used to determine trends
over time as well as to initialize air quality forecast models. One of
the primary sources of uncertainty in air quality forecasts comes from the
uncertainties in these emissions. NESDIS /
STAR developed algorithms to
derive emissions of PM2.5
and trace gases from biomass burning. These products will be provided to
NWS
in near real time for assimilation into air quality forecasting models.
Annual PM2.5
emissions for 2005 from Biomass Burning Events as Observed by GOES-12 Imager
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Dept. of Commerce • NOAA • NESDIS • STAR • Last revised: May 8, 2013