Lightning pollution tracked in real time for first time

University of Maryland scientists have successfully tracked lightning's contribution to atmospheric pollution in real time for the first time, revealing how thunderstorms inject nitrogen oxides into the air at rates comparable to car exhaust pollution.

Using NASA's TEMPO satellite, researchers Kenneth Pickering and Dale Allen monitored thunderstorms across the eastern United States over several days in late June, capturing nitrogen dioxide measurements at 10-minute intervals rather than the standard hourly observations. The experiment marks a breakthrough in understanding how lightning affects air quality on a neighborhood scale.