Mechanical And Aerospace Engineers Use Satellites To Track Ozone Levels

Mechanical And Aerospace Engineers Use Satellites To Track Ozone Levels

Engineers process data from NASA’s Aura satellite to more accurately monitor airborne pollution and ozone concentration. This will help them track and predict the movement and concentration of pollution that causes harm to the ozone layer.

In most major cities the ground level ozone and pollution level can be a concern of public health and should therefore be closely monitored.

 NASA’s Aura satellites can pick-up the amount of air pollution particles in the air and predict their movements. This can warm people of specific areas about hazardous polluted air hours in advance.

In the future, it is said, satellites can help us understand ozone better and protect public health.

90% of ozone is found in the stratosphere high above the ground. It’s purpose it to absorb ultra-violet rays from the sun which can be extremely hazardous to humans. The remaining 10% of ozone  is in the troposphere which is much closer to ground level. At this low of an altitude, ozone can mix with air pollutants and create smog, a hazardous chemical that can effect crop and forest growth as well as human health.

The information we are able to obtain through satellites can help us understand ozone better and help us prepare for hazardous air pollutants far in advance.

This article is not necessarily for or against saving the environment but mainly for the benefit of humans. It can however in the future be used to pin-point areas with high ozone levels and pollution and help us bring these down to a less hazardous level. I believe the use of satellites are very effective even today and that they can be used to a much higher extent in the future to help us deal with environmental problems.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/1010-tracking_pollution_from_space.htm