Thick Smog Blankets North India and Pakistan in Satellite Images

Satellite images from NASA reveal a thick layer of toxic smog covering large parts of North India and Pakistan as the winter season begins.

Affected Regions and Satellite Data

The grey smog layer stretches from Pakistan across northern India and toward the eastern parts of the country, affecting Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, along with Delhi and the National Capital Region. NASA captured these views using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument, publishing them through the Fire Information for Resource Management System. The images also show the snow-covered Himalayan mountain range to the north, contrasting sharply against the smoke-filled plains below.

Causes and Weather Factors

Air quality worsens across northwest India and neighboring Pakistan every year at the start of winter due to multiple factors, including crop stubble burning, vehicle exhaust, factory pollution, and construction dust. Cold temperatures, low wind speeds, and a shallow lower atmosphere trap pollutant particles near the ground, preventing them from dispersing upward. NASA's satellite images also show red marks indicating fire hotspots, particularly in the agricultural regions of northwest India where farmers burn crop residue, though the satellite data does not measure the exact size of the fires or their specific share of the total pollution.

Context

Air pollution in South Asia during winter is a recurring regional challenge driven by weather patterns and seasonal farming practices that affect millions of residents across national boundaries. Environmental experts generally emphasize that tackling this wide-scale issue requires coordinated actions across different states and neighboring countries rather than isolated measures in individual cities.