Satellite typification

[BrandonW]

What are some commonly used satellites for air quality, and is there a manual for which satellites to use for different applications (i.e. spatial or hydrological analysis)?

 

[Jennifer McGinnis]

What are some commonly used satellites for air quality, and is there a manual for which satellites to use for different applications (i.e. spatial or hydrological analysis)?

Some commonly used satellites for air quality purposes include Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor, Aqua, Terra, Suomi-NPP, and GOES. Aboard these satellites are instruments (or sensors) that take different types of measurements, such as pollutant concentrations. When deciding which satellite to use, you first must identify what satellites take the measurement you are looking for. Then you can narrow it down based on the time frame of interest (temporal resolution), the region you are interested in (spatial coverage), and the spatial resolution needed. A flowchart is currently being developed to help satellite data users determine what satellite/sensor will be most useful for them. For now, a table of air quality relevant satellites is shown below. For a larger overview of satellite capabilities, I recommend exploring the NASA Worldview website. NASA Worldview is an interactive website that maps satellite data products related to many disciplines (not just air quality).