NASA scientists are in Houston this month for an intensive air quality study exploring the effects of emissions and weather on air pollution, as well as the relationship between air quality and socioeconomic factors.
Tracking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment-Air Quality (TRACER-AQ) began Sept. 1 and includes both airborne and ground-based measurements of trace gases, aerosols, and weather to help scientists better understand some of the intricacies of air quality in the Houston area.
Specifically, TRACER-AQ scientists and stakeholders want to improve their understanding of how local conditions result in ozone pollution levels that exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards, or NAAQS, in the region. These datasets will help evaluate the accuracy of modeling platforms used to track pollution, and the value of using satellite trace-gas observations to monitor local air pollution.
Read more at: NASA Research Center
TRACER-AQ research flights are being conducted aboard a Gulfstream V research aircraft flying out of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston (Photo Credit: NASA/Laura Judd)