Open AccessResearch Spotlight: Satellites monitor air pollutant emissions in China
Author(s) -
Tretkoff Ernie
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/eo091i021p00196-03
Subject(s) - sulfur dioxide , environmental science , acid rain , sulfate , precipitation , pollutant , air pollutants , meteorology , china , satellite , haze , atmospheric sciences , air pollution , geography , chemistry , engineering , geology , aerospace engineering , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , archaeology
A new satellite study verifies that Chinese emission control efforts did reduce power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), a harmful gas that causes acid rain and can form sulfate aerosols; these aerosols play an important role in the climate system by affecting clouds and precipitation patterns and altering the amount of sunlight that is reflected away from Earth.