Car exhaust is full of carbon dioxide — which is why they need emissions testing every two years, to ensure they aren't emitting too much of the greenhouse gas. A NASA-designed sensor, however, could eliminate that hassle for good, all while providing far better data to environmental regulators. The sensor is mounted along roads and continuously monitors the exhaust of each car that passes by.
Satellites are a particularly useful platform for climate research because they circle the globe many times a day, enabling millions of measurements across a wide range of geography and conditions. NASA scientists analyze the data gathered to generate new insights about climate change and engineers continue to design new and better sensors to improve data gathering in the future.
Learn more about how NASA helped develop technology that impacts carbon-dioxide detection within your city's automotive environment!