Mapping Air Pollution With MAIA Sensors in Addis Ababa

A map of Addis Ababa shows the locations of 10 air sensors used by NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission to produce a detailed view of the city’s air pollution. Over three years these ground sensors measured particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM2.5). Black carbon, or soot, is a major component of the pollution and has been linked to low birth weight, impaired brain development, respiratory illnesses, and premature death. The map’s color bar indicates station values from about 20 to 40 micrograms per cubic meter, with darkest red the worst. In Ethiopia, black carbon commonly comes from diesel vehicles, fires and other combustion. MAIA data show daily and seasonal changes, including rush-hour and holiday spikes. The mission studies a dozen regions worldwide, including Los Angeles, Atlanta and Boston, and will add a space camera built at JPL to launch no earlier than late 2027.