Where: Baltimore and Marcellus Shale
When: 30 June - 3 August 2025
How: NOAA OAR will conduct comprehensive aircraft and mobile measurements, deploying a NOAA Twin Otter as well as NOAA's Air Resources Car (ARC) mobile laboratory.
NOAA OAR will conduct an investigation of atmospheric photochemistry and emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in the Baltimore - Washington, DC region and Marcellus Shale in the summer of 2025.
Changing climate favors deteriorating air quality, particularly in urban areas, where rising temperatures contribute to increased levels of ozone and particulate matter. While air quality in the majority of U.S. cities has improved dramatically during the past decades due to reduction of emissions of air pollutants, several northeast U.S. urban areas, including Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC, are still experiencing persistent air quality issues, including recent pollution events associated with wildfires. Urban decision makers need a better understanding of the scientific basis of air pollution formation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to address both air quality and climate change issues. Chemical and meteorological measurements from field campaigns like this are needed to improve our understanding of air pollution formation and to better mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
For further information, download the BAQMMS White Paper