Scientists of the Earth Remote Sensing Center of the Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS have shown how fires developed and smoke plumes spread over the territory of Siberia during the last two weeks.

The maps show the atmospheric aerosol index. Aerosols are solid or liquid particles suspended in air. In the atmosphere, aerosol pollution is observed as smoke, fog, or haze. The sources of aerosol particles are particles rising into the air under the action of wind, dust storms, anthropogenic pollution (factories, vehicles), ash from volcanic eruptions, smoke from forest fires or biomass burning etc.

The aerosol index is a qualitative indicator showing the presence of particles in the air which absorb radiation in the ultraviolet range. Aerosol index can take values from 0 to 5.
5 - very high concentrations of aerosols, which may reduce visibility or affect human health.
<0.2 - clean air.

The presented results are based on calculations of the aerosol index using the satellite data of OMPS (Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite), which is installed on the US meteorological satellite SUOMI NPP. The Earth Remote Sensing Center KSC SB RAS receives data from this satellite.

The information was provided by the head of the Earth Remote Sensing Center, Oleg Yakubailik.