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In 1974, scientists discovered that chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases used for refrigeration, aerosol cans, and other purposes were destroying Earth’s protective ozone layer. As a result, in 1975 Congress directed NASA to “develop and carry out a comprehensive program of research, technology, and monitoring of the phenomena of the upper atmosphere so as to provide for an understanding of and to maintain the chemical and physical integrity of the Earth's upper atmosphere." NASA thus began monitoring and researching CFCs, ozone, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases, which are gases that account for less than 1% of the atmosphere by volume. Today, these trace gases are known to play important roles in Earth’s atmospheric chemistry, air quality, and climate.

NASA has powerful and precise devices to detect and measure trace gases such as the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument. Prime uses for their data include environmental protection, air pollution monitoring, and climate change modeling. Datasets from these instruments are available to anyone and can be easily accessed through Earthdata Search.

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Finding Your TEMPO: An Introduction to the Mission, Products, and Data Services for Air Quality Observations over North America
This webinar provides an overview of the TEMPO mission and its data products and shows how to discover and access TEMPO data products using NASA's Earthdata Search.
Dr. Gonzalo González Abad, an Atmospheric Physicist at the Center for Astrophysics, sits at a desk in his office. He is wearing a green collared shirt and behind him is a computer monitor showing code used to manipulate data.
Data User: Dr. Gonzalo González Abad
NASA Earth science data help Dr. Gonzalo González Abad produce retrievals of formaldehyde and other atmospheric trace gases.
Discover and Visualize Trace Gases/Trace Species Data
NASA data help us understand Earth's changing systems in more detail than ever before, and visualizations bring these data to life, making Earth science concepts accessible, beautiful, and impactful.
Data visualization is a powerful tool for analysis, trend and pattern recognition, and communication. Our resources help you find world-class data visualizations to complement and enhance your research. We also have tools and tutorials to help you translate trace gases/trace species data into compelling visuals.
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rectangular image showing the U.S. East Coast. Red/yellow areas extending from NY City to Washington, D.C., indicate areas of high NO2 concentrations.
This TEMPO visualization shows nitrogen dioxide levels around New York City on August 2, 2023. Lighter, brighter areas have lower levels of nitrogen dioxide whereas darker, intensely colored regions have high levels. Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio.

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