Air quality issues affect not only humans but all living things that depend upon the atmosphere to survive. Accurate air pollution data can help us develop solutions to our region’s persistent air pollution problems.

During the summer of 2014, the joint NASA DISCOVER-AQ and NCAR FRAPPÉ air quality campaigns conducted research to answer vital air quality questions, such as how carbon gases, aerosols, and summertime ozone pollution affect the region’s air quality. Nearly 200 scientists from agencies and universities across the country, including NOAA and CIRES, focused sophisticated instruments on the Front Range atmosphere using aircraft, tethered balloons, and ground monitoring stations to better understand its dynamics. 

DISCOVER-AQ curriculum integrates real-world research with real-life learning to answer the question: What are the causes and effects of air quality issues and how do they affect human health and the environment?