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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2006

Comparison of Satellite Observations of Nitrogen Dioxide to Surface Monitor Nitrogen Dioxide Concentration

Nitrogen dioxide is one of the U. S. EPA s criteria pollutants, and one of the main ingredients needed for the production of ground-level ozone. Both ozone and nitrogen dioxide cause severe public health problems. Existing satellites have begun to produce observational data sets for nitrogen dioxide. Under NASAs Earth Science Applications Program, we examined the relationship between satellite observations and surface monitor observations of this air pollutant to examine if the satellite data can be used to facilitate a more capable and integrated observing network. This report provides a comparison of satellite tropospheric column nitrogen dioxide to surface monitor nitrogen dioxide concentration for the period from September 1996 through August 1997 at more than 300 individual locations in the continental US. We found that the spatial resolution and observation time of the satellite did not capture the variability of this pollutant as measured at ground level. The tools and processes developed to conduct this study will be applied to the analysis of advanced satellite observations. One advanced instrument has significantly better spatial resolution than the measurements studied here and operates with an afternoon overpass time, providing a more representative distribution for once-per-day sampling of this photochemically active atmospheric constituent.

Kleb, Mary M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Statistical summary and trend evaluation of air quality data for Cleveland, Ohio in 1967 to 1971: Total suspended particulate, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide

Air quality data for Cleveland, Ohio, for the period of 1967 to 1971 were collated and subjected to statistical analysis. The total suspended particulate component is lognormally distributed; while sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are reasonably approximated by lognormal distributions. Only sulfur dioxide, in some residential neighborhoods, meets Ohio air quality standards. Air quality has definitely improved in the industrial valley, while in the rest of the city, only sulfur dioxide has shown consistent improvement. A pollution index is introduced which displays directly the degree to which the environmental air conforms to mandated standards.

Neustadter, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Air quality aerometric data for the city of Cleveland from 1967 to 1970 for sulphur dioxide, suspended particulates, and nitrogen dioxide

The NASA Lewis Research Center is assisting the City of Cleveland, Ohio, in its effort to monitor its air pollution. This report describes the Cleveland program of the past 4 years and the supportive Lewis program currently being developed. The data accumulated by Cleveland over the past 4 years are presented together with some preliminary statistical analyses indicating in a semiquantitive manner the degree of air pollution existing within the boundaries of Cleveland.

Neustadter, H. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Developmental and hematological responses to low level continuous exposure of nitrogen dioxide in mice

Young healthy mice were continuously exposed to 0ppm, 0.5ppm, 1.0ppm and 5ppm nitrogen dioxide gas for eight weeks. Nitrogen dioxide exposure for eight weeks decreased the average weight of mice, increased the average weight of lungs, heart, and brain and decreased the average weight of liver. Nitrogen dioxide exposure did not have any effects on the WBC and RBC in mice blood but it increased the HCT and HGB in mice blood. Nitrogen dioxide exposure increased the MCV and decreased the MCH and MCHC in mice blood.

Singh, J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Ozone and nitrogen dioxide above the northern Tien Shan

The results of systematic perennial measurements of the total ozone (since 1979) and nitrogen dioxide column (since 1983) in the atmosphere in the European-Asian continent center above the mountainmass of the Tien Shan are given. This region is distinguished by a great number of sunny days during a year. The observation station is at the Northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake (42.56 N 77.04 E 1650 m above the sea level). The measurement results are presented as the monthly averaged atmospheric total ozone and NO2 stratospheric column abundances (morning and evening). The peculiarities of seasonal variations of ozone and nitrogen dioxide atmospheric contents, their regular variances with a quasi-biennial cycles and trends have been noticed. Irregular variances of ozone and nitrogen dioxide atmospheric contents, i.e. their positive and negative anomalies in the monthly averaged contents relative to the perennial averaged monthly means, have been analyzed. The synchronous and opposite in phase anomalies in variations of ozone and nitrogen dioxide atmospheric contents were explained by the transport and zonal circulation in the stratosphere (Kamenogradsky et al., 1990).

Arefev, Vladimir N.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Stratospheric nitrogen dioxide in the vicinity of Soufriere, St. Vincent

In April 1979, measurements of nitrogen dioxide in the upper atmosphere were made near Soufriere Volcano by twilight optical-absorption techniques. The derived value of 5 x 10 to the 15th molecules per square centimeter column implies an enhancement of 25 percent over earlier abundances measured in the same latitudinal regions. This enhancement may represent the normal stratospheric variability of nitrogen dioxide in the equatorial region, but in any case may be considered an upper limit to the volcano's effect on the total nitrogen dioxide abundance.

Romick, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

SAGE observations of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide

The global distribution of nitrogen dioxide in the middle to upper stratosphere (25-45 km altitude) for the period February 1979 to November 1981 has been determined from observations of attenuated solar radiation in the visible region 0.385-0.45 micron by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) satellite instrument. The SAGE-derived NO2 vertical profiles compare well with observations by balloon- and aircraft-borne sensors. The global SAGE NO2 distributions generally show a maximum in mixing ratio of 8 parts per billion by volume at about 35 km altitude near the equatorial latitudes at local sunset. The location of the mixing ratio peak moves synchronously with the overhead sun for the four different seasons. High-latitude NO2 column content shows strong seasonal variation, with a maximum in local summer and a minimum in local winter. Selected data at high-latitude winter seasons are presented, suggesting that the large variation shown could be explained by the coupling of both dynamics and photochemistry of the NO(x) species. Finally, profiles of the ratio of sunset to sunrise NO2 mixing ratios, peaking at about a factor of two at 30 km, are shown.

Chu, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Airborne Measurements of Nitric Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Ozone, and Total Reactive Nitrogen During the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment

Fabrication of the University of Michigan Multichannel Chemiluminescence Instrument (UMMCI) was completed in early 1996 and the instrument participated in test flights on the NASA P3B at Wallops Island prior to integration and deployment for the PEM- Tropics A Mission. The UMMCI consists of 4 channels for simultaneous measurements of ozone and NO with the option for measurements of NO2 and NOy (total reactive nitrogen) when converters are placed upstream of the NO channels. Each NO channel consists of a zeroing volume and reaction vessel, while the ozone channel consists of an ozone catalyst (or scrubber) trap that is not in line with the reaction vessel. The detectors in all for channels are Hamamatsu photomultiplier tubes, which are followed by pulse amplifier discriminators on the NO channels and an electrometer on the ozone channel. Schematics of the Detector Module and NOx/03 Probe Insert and Diagrams of the Control and Data System, the Power and Ground System, the Gas Flow System, and the Calibration System Flow are attached. Intercomparisons were conducted with G. Gregory, NASA/Langley, during the test flights (following prior calibration of the ozone generator/calibrators at the Wallops Long-Path Absorption facility). Initial test results appeared to be reasonable, and instrument characterization studies proceeded for the ozone channel and the 3 NO channels until deployment for integration for the PEM-Tropics Mission. Ozone data was obtained for Flights #4, and 6-2 1, and finalized data was submitted to the PEM-Tropics Data Archive and to the Science Team during the April 1997 Data Workshop. Although it initially appeared that the instrument sensitivity varied, subsequent tests showed that this was the fault of a leak in the ozone calibrator. In fact; the instrument sensitivity has not been observed to vary in a large number of tests over the years since the PEM-Tropics mission. We have, therefore, a very high degree of confidence in the O3 data that we submitted. NO data was obtained for all flights except the mission out of Christmas Island and the subsequent return to Hawaii, during which time the NO channels were contaminated with back-flushing pure NO from the O3 channel. The NO channels were found to suffer from a varying artifact (7 - 22 pptv) which made the instrument's results unreliable for the marine boundary layer portions of the missions (where conditions were extremely clean with NO typically < 2 pptv and O3 only 8 ppbv). Nonetheless, the NO values were an upper limit and were quite useful in identifying pollution layers and outflow from the Latin American Continent. NO data was submitted to the archive for all flights during which data was obtained. Ozone data from the P3B was among the results presented in several peer-reviewed publications. Notably, the ozone data supported the first published finding of evidence for the occurrence of aerosol nucleation in the marine boundary layer. As well, the ozone data was utilized in a treatment of the wavenumber spectra of winds, temperature and trace gases and to demonstrate the occurrence of layering as observed by the P3B during PEM-Tropics A . O3 and NO data were used in an assessment of the impact of southern hemispheric biomass burning, and in the role of NOx and O3 in HOx photochemistry during the PEM Tropics A mission. These data, along with other species measured during PEM-Tropics A, have also been employed in the generation of climatologies for tropospheric ozone and its precursors by the PI's research group.

Carroll, Mary Anne↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Cabauw Intercomparison Campaign for Nitrogen Dioxide Measuring Instruments (CINDI): Design, Execution, and Early Results

From June to July 2009 more than thirty different in-situ and remote sensing instruments from all over the world participated in the Cabauw Intercomparison campaign for Nitrogen Dioxide measuring Instruments (CINDI). The campaign took place at KNMI's Cabauw Experimental Site for Atmospheric Research (CESAR) in the Netherlands. Its main objectives were to determine the accuracy of state-ofthe- art ground-based measurement techniques for the detection of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (both in-situ and remote sensing), and to investigate their usability in satellite data validation. The expected outcomes are recommendations regarding the operation and calibration of such instruments, retrieval settings, and observation strategies for the use in ground-based networks for air quality monitoring and satellite data validation. Twenty-four optical spectrometers participated in the campaign, of which twenty-one had the capability to scan different elevation angles consecutively, the so-called Multi-axis DOAS systems, thereby collecting vertical profile information, in particular for nitrogen dioxide and aerosol. Various in-situ samplers and lidar instruments simultaneously characterized the variability of atmospheric trace gases and the physical properties of aerosol particles. A large data set of continuous measurements of these atmospheric constituents has been collected under various meteorological conditions and air pollution levels. Together with the permanent measurement capability at the CESAR site characterizing the meteorological state of the atmosphere, the CINDI campaign provided a comprehensive observational data set of atmospheric constituents in a highly polluted region of the world during summertime. First detailed comparisons performed with the CINDI data show that slant column measurements of NO2, O4 and HCHO with MAX-DOAS agree within 5 to 15%, vertical profiles of NO2 derived from several independent instruments agree within 25% of one another, and MAX-DOAS aerosol optical thickness agrees within 20-30% with AERONET data. For the in-situ NO2 instrument using a molybdenum converter, a bias was found as large as 5 ppbv during day time, when compared to the other in-situ instruments using photolytic converters.

Atmospheric composition↗
NASA NTRS1982

Direct measurements of ozone and nitrogen dioxide photolysis rates in the troposphere

The photolysis frequencies of ozone and nitrogen dioxide were measured under a variety of conditions commonly found in the troposphere. Ozone photolysis frequencies show a strong dependence on solar zenith angle, overhead ozone column, and temperature, but only a weak dependence on altitude (when only downward radiation is detected). Nitrogen dioxide photolysis frequencies also show strong dependence on solar zenith angle, but show little dependence on temperature, pressure, or altitude. Both j values are strongly affected by cloud cover, but aerosol loading has much less effect. The disagreement of measured j(O3) and j(NO2) with many modeled values, especially disagreement over altitude dependence, shows that atmospheric UV radioactive processes are complicated and poorly understood, although experimental conditions may not always be applicable to conditions modeled.

Dickerson, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS2024

A Portable Nitrogen Dioxide Instrument Using Cavity-Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy

The Portable (2.7 kg) Cavity-enhanced Absorption of Nitrogen Dioxide (PCAND) instrument for measuring in situ nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was developed using incoherent, broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (IBBCEAS). An LED light source centered at 408 nm was coupled to a cavity 15 cm in length, achieving an effective optical pathlength of ~520 m. Our precision was measured as 94 pptv (1 s). To date, we have flown this instrument on 3 balloon and 1 UAV test flights. This instrument records data to an SD card and outputs data (via an RS232 port) to external devices including a commercial radiosonde (iMet) for real-time data downlink.

TROPOMI↗
DOE OSTI2025

A formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide toxics monitor for environmental justice

DOE’s Integrated Field Laboratories (IFLs) require a vast array of measurements to measure urban air quality. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and formaldehyde (HCHO) are ubiquitous pollutants with numerous sources, most notably vehicle exhaust. High-spatial density measurements are critical to understanding how certain neighborhoods are more adversely impacted by pollutants. This report describes the results of a Phase I SBIR project to develop and demonstrate a rapid, affordable, low-power monitor to provide high spatial resolution mobile measurements of formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide at street-level, where people live and walk. The spatial density will be achieved via rapid measurements on a mobile platform. This sensor will quantify spatial disparities in cities of the toxics, HCHO and NO2, as well as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide for better source identification. These species are detected in the mid infrared by laser absorption spectroscopy, and fiberoptics are used. Tasks accomplished include identification and testing of the appropriate spectroscopic regions; coupling of laser light into a fiberoptic system; development of software to control miniature electronics to scan and control two lasers simultaneously; coupling of the mid infrared fiber into a multipass cell for enhanced pathlength and sensitivity; characterization of sources of instrument noise; and design work for a Phase II prototype.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1972

Photodissociation of nitrogen dioxide by pulsed laser light at 6943 A.

Nitrogen dioxide was photodissociated using a pulsed ruby laser at 6943 A. The energy of a single photon at this wavelength was equivalent to only 57% of the dissociation energy. The mechanism proposed to account for the results was the consecutive absorption of two photons, the first resulting in a short-lived excited state. The second photon is then absorbed by the excited species resulting in dissociation.

Gerstmayr, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere /LIMS/ experiment - Temperature and nitrogen dioxide results

The Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) is a satellite-borne radiometer which scans across the earth's limb, measuring infrared radiation emitted by specific atmospheric gases in a number of broad channels. Instrumentation includes a folded telescope, which focuses the radiation from the limb onto an array of six mercury-cadmium-telluride detectors. A scan mirror within the telescope sweeps the fields of view across the horizon, with each up or down scan lasting 12 seconds. The measurements are inverted to yield distributions of temperature and nitrogen dioxide. The temperature is determined from two channels covering the intervals 595-739 per cm and 645-673 per cm of the 15 micron bands of CO2, with maximum signal to noise ratio of 500-1000. Nitrogen dioxide is determined from measurements in a channel from 1580-1613 per cm, with an S/N of approximately 100. Results show that the LIMS temperature and nitrogen dioxide data are characterized by high precision.

Gille, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Diesel Passenger Vehicle Shares Influenced Covid-19 Changes in Urban Nitrogen Dioxide Pollution

Diesel-powered vehicles emit several times more nitrogen oxides than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles, leading to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution and adverse health impacts. The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing changes in emissions provide a natural experiment to test whether NO2 reductions have been starker in regions of Europe with larger diesel passenger vehicle shares. Here we use a semi-empirical approach that combines in-situ NO2 observations from urban areas and an atmospheric composition model within a machine learning algorithm to estimate business-as-usual NO2 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These estimates account for the moderating influences of meteorology, chemistry, and traffic. Comparing the observed NO2 concentrations against business-as-usual estimates indicates that diesel passenger vehicle shares played a major role in the magnitude of NO2 reductions. European cities with the five largest shares of diesel passenger vehicles experienced NO2 reductions ∼ 2.5 times larger than cities with the five smallest diesel shares. Extending our methods to a cohort of non-European cities reveals that NO2 reductions in these cities were generally smaller than reductions in European cities, which was expected given their small diesel shares. We identify potential factors such as the deterioration of engine controls associated with older diesel vehicles to explain spread in the relationship between cities’ shares of diesel vehicles and changes in NO2 during the pandemic. Our results provide a glimpse of potential NO2 reductions that could accompany future deliberate efforts to phase out or remove passenger vehicles from cities.

Nitrogen Dioxide↗