Air
pollution can migrate from one region to other, even from one continent to
other. In fact, U.S.
scientists from the University of Maryland have calculated that approximately half of
the aerosols that affect domestic air quality originate from other continents including
Asia, Europe and Africa.
Most of
these pollutants aren't industrial emissions but rather dust from Asia, Africa,
and the Middle East. In fact, approximately
87.5 percent of total foreign aerosols refer to dust that comes from across the
Pacific.
This means
that foreign pollution affects the quality of U.S. air and that air pollution
shouldn't be looked at as purely regional issue but rather a global issue whose
impact is constantly growing.
Winds can
carry atmospheric particles thousands of miles, meaning that these particles
can impact air quality in other regions. The good news with dust pollution is
the fact that its migration occurs at high altitudes, therefore it is unlikely
to seriously affect the quality of U.S. air.
This study
was the first of its kind in using the satellite-measurement-based estimate of
the amount of airborne particles that come to North
America from other continents.
This modern
satellite technology is equipped with sensors that monitor aerosol plumes
across the ocean and measure their composition and particle characteristics. By
using these technology researchers are even able to tell the difference between
dust and the other types of aerosols (from instance those that originate from
fossil fuel burning).
The
scientists believe that the amount of foreign dust in the U.S. air will
continue to grow in years to come because drought periods will likely become
much more frequent because of the ongoing global warming phenomenon.
This latest
study is another proof that there are plenty new factors affecting
domestic air pollution than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has accounted for. There is also a strong
link between air pollution and ongoing climate change.
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