Nitrogen oxides in the troposphere – What have we learned from satellite measurements?

Institute of Environmental Physics, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany

Abstract

Nitrogen oxides are key species in the troposphere where they are linked to ozone formation and acid rain. The sources of nitrogen oxides are anthropogenic to large extend, mainly through combustion of fossil fuels. Satellite observations of NO₂ provide global measurements of nitrogen oxides since summer 1995, and these data have been applied for many studies on the emission sources and strengths, the chemistry and the transport of NO_x. In this paper, an overview will be given on satellite measurements of NO₂ , some examples of typical applications and an outlook on future prospects.