[Asia] Haze from China, 2001/07/12

2001/193 - 07/12 at 02 :40 UTC

Haze is a generic term for visible air pollution, and can consist of dust, smoke, and other particulate matter. As China has grown as an economic power, air pollutants from industry and automobiles (mostly coal-fired or sulfur contained fuel) have increased dramatically. This has lead directly to increases in sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, soot, and other atmospheric pollutants. Haze plume over eastern China~the Gulf of Bohai (the center of the image with the port city of Tianjin nearits western shore) is clearly seen in this image. East-West haze plume obscures the coastline of Eastern China. Beijing (China´s capital and second largest city) is located in the upper left portion of the image.