News media, social media followers and educators learn about NASA's airborne Earth and environmental science program, briefed on current and upcoming missions.
DISCOVER-AQ
Residents in Calif.'s San Joaquin Valley will see some unusual air traffic over their region in January and February of 2013 -- two NASA aircraft will fly between Bakersfield and Fresno - one as close as 1,000 feet to the ground – to measure air pollution with a number of onboard science instruments.
About 40 % of Americans live in counties where pollution levels still regularly exceed EPA's national air quality standards. Summer heat and relentless traffic make the D.C. metropolitan area one of the top 20 smoggiest metro areas in the country.
DISCOVER-AQ is a four-year campaign to improve the use of satellites to monitor air quality for public health and environmental benefit Through targeted airborne and ground- based observations, DISCOVER-AQ will enable more effective use of current and future satellites to diagnose ground level conditions influencing air quality.
