The SO2 plume over the eastern US: Remote and in situ observations
Abstract
Using information sensed from satellites to understand regional air quality problems shows great potential, but poses great challenges. The sources and distribution of SO2 over eastern North America may be areas where remote sensing can provide a powerful tool to improve our understanding. In the Eastern US, substantial amounts of high-sulfur coal are still burned without effective pollution controls. The resulting sulfur dioxide generates sulfate haze composed of fine particles. These particles contribute to reduced visibility and climate forcing. For several years, we have been using pulsed fluorescence instruments to measure tropospheric SO2 concentrations at a ground station and from a small research aircraft. Hundreds of individual profiles have been obtained, and above ground plumes of SO2 frequently exceed 10 ppbv. Aircraft measurements alone, however, cannot uncover the extent of the pollution. The UV-visible spectra collected by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) can be analyzed for column SO2 content. We present comparisons of remotely sensed and in situ aircraft measurements (altitude-integrated column content) of SO2 to evaluate the satellite data and to determine whether GOME measurements can be useful in studies of individual smog/haze episodes. Results confirm the existence of large-scale SO2 plumes and a strong seasonal cycle. See http://www.meto.umd.edu/~umdair/rammpp01.html and http://www.iup.physik.uni-bremen.de/gome/
- Publication:
-
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly
- Pub Date:
- April 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003EAEJA.....7797D