HR: 09:00h
AN: A31A-05    [PDF]
TI: Geostationary Satellite Observations of Particulate Pollution: Spatial and Temporal Features of the June 24-28, 2003 Eastern US Air Pollution Episode
AU: Knapp, K
EM: Ken.Knapp@noaa.gov
AF: Colorado State University Cooperative Institute for Research in Atmosphere, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746 United States
AU: * Kondragunta, S
EM: Shobha.Kondragunta@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA/NESDIS, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746 United States
AU: Laszlo, I
EM: Istvan.Laszlo@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA/NESDIS, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746 United States
AU: McQueen, J
EM: jeff.mcqueen@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA/NWS, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746 United States
AU: Seaman, N
EM: nelson.seaman@noaa.gov
AF: NOAA/NWS, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746 United States
AB: NOAA/NESDIS has been retrieving near real-time total column aerosol optical depths in the visible channel from a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) for the past three years (http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/crad3/gasp/RealTime.html). Aerosol retrievals from a geostationary satellite allows monitoring of particulate pollution over the United States at high spatial (4 km) and temporal (30 minutes) resolution. GOES aerosol retrievals have been shown to be accurate at 30 percent and might be useful in monitoring and forecasting air pollution episodes. The usefulness of GOES aerosol optical depth retrievals in tracking and forecasting regional particulate pollution will be demonstrated by using the June 24-28, 2003 air pollution episode as an example. This episode, like other regional-scale episodes, offers an opportunity to analyze the GOES aerosol optical depths on a regional scale. It resulted in deteriorated air quality across the eastern United States; the polluted air hovered over the region stretching from Georgia to New York with aerosol optical depths ten times higher than the background values. We will present the analysis of spatial and temporal features of this multi-day smog episode and discuss the role of geostationary satellite observed aerosol optical depths in the NOAA-EPA air quality forecast program.
DE: 0345 Pollution--urban and regional (0305)
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting