Pollution over Eastern China

Credit: Image credit: Jacques Descloitres; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Wednesday, 13 October 2004, 06:00 CDT Download full size image

A blanket of blue-grey pollution lingers over Eastern China in this true-color Aqua MODIS image from October 5, 2004. The soot is mostly soot and sulfate particles produced via human means, though MODIS also detected a few fires that could be contributing smoke to the haze. The fire pixels are outlined in bright red. Underneath the pall, the waters of Bo Hai Bay feature swirls of blue, green, and brown colors. These are likely caused by sediments in the water, though they could also be from marine microorganisms, such as algae and phytoplankton. Similar swirls of color occur farther down the western coastline of the Yellow Sea. The similar coloration and the number of rivers emptying into these bodies of water suggest that sediment is the culprit. Over the top of the scene, bright white clouds contrast with the predominantly grey and brown features.

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