The primary pollutant scientists are measuring is nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the compound that reacts with sunlight to make ground-level ozone, said Anne Thompson, senior scientist emeritus for atmospheric chemistry at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and senior researcher at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
The primary pollutant scientists are measuring is nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the compound that reacts with sunlight to make ground-level ozone, said Anne Thompson, senior scientist emeritus for atmospheric chemistry at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and senior researcher at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
The Gulf of Mexico is highly concentrated with oil and natural gas drilling platforms, which are sources of NO2. By taking measurements of these emissions from the sea surface nearby, scientists can help validate measurements taken from a much different vantage point. The research vessel the scientists are using, Point Sur, is owned by the University of Southern Mississippi and operated by the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.
Read more at: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
The NASA/GSFC SCOAPE team launches an ozonesonde weather balloon from the stern of the research vessel Point Sur during the May 2019 cruise. (Photo Credit: Ryan Stauffer NASA/GSFC)
