Satellites provide global-scale data that are invaluable in efforts to understand, monitor, and respond to wildfires and emissions, which are increasingly affecting climate and putting humans at risk.
aerosols & particles
Posted inFeatures
What Is Left in the Air After a Wildfire Depends on Exactly What Burned
Forecasting air quality after a wildfire is improving, thanks to more-refined models that measure the biomass going into the blaze and the emissions coming out.
Posted inNews
Taal Eruption and Ashfall Continue; Thousands Still at Risk
The Philippines’ volcanology institute warns that a hazardous eruption of Taal is imminent. In the past, Taal’s eruptions have lasted months and even years.
Posted inNews
Amazon Fires Contribute to Andean Glacier Melting
New research finds that black carbon emissions produced by fires in the Amazon cause glaciers in the Andes to absorb more sunlight and melt more.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Satellite Measurements of Stratospheric Forest Fire Smoke
Intense boreal forest fires in August 2017 caused smoke plumes that reached record levels in the stratosphere; satellite measurements show that the effects rivaled a moderate volcanic eruption.
Posted inNews
Road Dust: A Health Hazard Hidden in Plain Sight
Legacy heavy metals from past industrial activity combine with traffic paint; asphalt; and bits of tires, brakes, and car parts to create toxic dust on our roadways.
Posted inNews
Asbestos Fibers Thread Through Rocks and Dust Outside Vegas
Scientists found natural asbestos minerals in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The health implications aren’t clear, nor are the impacts on development.
Posted inNews
Wildfire Smoke Traps Itself in Valleys
Simulations show how wildfire smoke increases atmospheric stability inside some valleys, creating a feedback loop that prevents its dispersion.
Posted inNews
Golden State Blazes Contributed to Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
A new case study investigates causes and effects of California’s 2017 wildfire season.
Posted inFeatures
The Coming Surge of Rocket Emissions
With the space industry’s rapid growth, rocket exhaust will increasingly accumulate in the atmosphere. How this accumulation might affect the planet is unknown—because we’re not taking it seriously.