NASA's PACE satellite, with its ability to detect nitrogen dioxide pollution at a fine scale, is revolutionizing the identification and management of emissions from individual sources like factories and highways. By providing sharper pixels and more accurate readings through favorable viewing conditions and machine learning, the satellite's maps show distinct plumes of nitrogen dioxide in regions like Los Angeles. This new level of detail, along with validation tests showing PACE's precision, makes it a valuable tool for monitoring air quality near coasts and cities. Combined with NASA's TEMPO mission, the PACE mission can track pollution patterns and movements to provide more accurate data for same-day decision-making during rush-hour and industrial pollution events. As validation expands and algorithms improve, PACE has the potential to become even more useful for daily health, planning, and emissions work.
https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-satellite-shows-exactly-where-air-pollution-begins/