Satélites midiendo la calidad del aire desde el espacio

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.198132518076

• Palavras-chave: Contaminantes atmosféricos, Satélites, PM2.5, Profundidad óptica de aerosoles

• Keywords: Air pollution, Satellites, PM2.5, Aerosol optical depth

• Abstract: Air quality measurement is a vital necessity for the prevention of health risks associated with exposure to atmospheric pollutants that enter the respiratory system and alter cellular metabolism, developing from acute reactions to cancer, which causes millions of deaths worldwide each year. Air quality measurement through monitoring networks presents two major problems: limited coverage and a high cost of installation and operation, hence satellite measurement represents a lower-cost alternative with unlimited coverage. This article introduces the reader to what satellites and sensors are and how they measure air quality, as well as presents some of the applications of satellite images for monitoring environmental contingencies and informs the reader about the different satellite products and where they can be located, downloaded and used, and reports on the negative effects of poor air quality on health.