NASA uses satellite instruments and advanced computer models to track how air pollutants move through the atmosphere. This visualization features data from the Goddard Earth Observing System Composition Forecasting (GEOS-CF) system, one of the world's highest-resolution models for atmospheric chemistry.
The dataset showcases the transport of key pollutants during July and August 2024—a period marked by an exceptionally active fire season in North America. By combining weather data with emissions and chemical transformations, the GEOS-CF model allows scientists to see how smoke from wildfires and urban pollution travel across continents and oceans, impacting air quality far from the source.
Science On a Sphere
