Canadian researchers have found a new, satellite-based technology that -accurately- detects polluters from outer space, and caught 39 large polluters red-handed for non-reporting of their emissions.

 

Fourteen of those were located in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, with total contribution to global sulphur dioxide emissions of staggering 6 to 12%.

 

The study, published last week in the journal Nature Geoscience, used a satellite-based simultaneous detection, mapping, and emission-quantifying procedure to locate pollution ‘hot spots’ across the globe, and compile an inventory of pollutants. The results were then compared with three conventional state-of-the-science inventories, including the Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollutants, which depend on bottom-up approach for quantifying emissions. This latter approach, however, might not mirror actual emissions, especially from developing nations that might lack comprehensive reporting requirements and infrastructure.

 

Seven to 14 million metric tons of sulphur dioxide emissions, which have gone missing from inventories, came from polluters in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, accounting for 6 to 12% of global sulphur dioxide emissions. Most of the hotspots turned out to be large oil refinery complexes.

 

Not only sulphur dioxide from remote oil facilities, but also nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides were revealed to be emitted in large quantities and under-reported. Those latter two pollutants correspond to combustion sources in urban areas, which also happen to be the same sources of carbon dioxide. And yet, some of these missing nitrogen dioxide sources were also missing from the carbon dioxide inventories, as per the study. (Green Prophet)