Detection of Regional Air Pollution Episodes Utilizing Satellite Digital Data in the Visual Range

A comparative analysis of satellite digital data in the visual range and ground-based aerosol measurements was carried out for July 21 and 22, 1978, representing a significant pollution episode based on low surface visibility and high sulfate levels. Quantitative information on total aerosol loading derived from the satellite digitized data using an atmospheric radiative transfer model agrees well with the results obtained from the ground-based measurements. It is also shown that the extent and transport of the haze pattern can be monitored from the satellite data over the period of maximum intensity of the episode. The model simulation demonstrates the potential of utilizing satellites to monitor both the magnitude and areal extent of pollution episodes.