Dr. Hanwant Singh spoke at the University of North Dakota during the annual UMAC conference to give an update on the progress of the INTEX-NA mission. The primary objective of INTEX-NA is to measure exchange of aerosols, ozone, and long-lived greenhouse gases emitted from and traveling to North America. INTEX-NA uses two main aircraft, the NASA DC-8 and P-3B, to take chemical, physical, and optical measurements in the troposphere. International groups, such as several European participants, contribute to the mission by using aircraft to measure emissions intercepted overseas. At times, the readings taken from the aircraft are combined with those from satellites or ships to produce an accurate data set.

INTEX-NA is being executed in two phases. Phase A occurred in the summer of 2004, and Phase B is planned to be executed in the spring of 2006. Phase A focused primarily on the eastern coast of North America, tracking gaseous emissions across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Phase B's focus will be on the western coast of the continent and will mainly measure the pollution traveling across the Pacific Ocean from Asian sources. Both phases will involve tracking the chemicals from their original sources, through their transportation and evolution in the atmosphere, and to their eventual subsidence.

Understanding global patterns of transportation of greenhouse gases and other emissions is critical not only for comprehending atmospheric functioning, but also for the establishment of international emissions policy. For example, European countries have argued that in order to meet their standards for reduced ozone and aerosol in air over Europe, the United States must reduce its emissions of these substances. Likewise, there is concern that the United States will not be able to meet its desired air quality standards while current levels of incoming Asian pollution persist.

Dr. Singh's UMAC presentation provides an overview of preliminary data gathered from Phase A of the INTEX-NA mission as well as the future plans for Phase B in further detail.

(Singh, H., D. Jacob, L. Pfister, J. Crawford. 2002. INTEX-NA: Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America. NASA Ames Research Center, Harvard University, NASA Langley Research Center. Updated December 2002. (http://geo.arc.nasa.gov/sgg/singh/white_paper2.pdf - Accessed 14 February 2006.)