ISRO, NASA Team Finds Presence of Aerosol Over Asia

A combined study by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA have found a layer of aerosol, sub-micron size particles suspended in air, over the Asian region.

The pollutant which was found after the study examined into satellite images, confirming the existence of the sub-micron size particle.

Aerosol is produced from a variety of man-made and natural processes such as vehicle exhaust, waste-burning, windblown dust, volcanic eruptions and etc.

According to a report by Times Of India, ISRO announced that the measurements by the joint team have “confirmed the presence of aerosol layer seen in satellite measurements over the Asian region and it also shows a sharp increase of aerosol concentration near 16.5-18.5 km (from Earth's surface).”

“This layer contains particles of size less than 0.25 micron and are 90 percent volatile,” ISRO said.

The same study has also confirmed the presence of nitrate over the region after a preliminary chemical analysis was conducted on the samples collected.

As part of the study Aerosols, Radiation and Trace Gases Group (ARTG) of National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, ISRO, and a team from NASA have been studying air quality around India.