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June 15, 2025 - Aerosols Over Italy
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A heavy haze hung over Italy’s Po Valley in early June 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the scene on June 13.
The Po Valley is one of the most densely populated regions in Italy as well as a rich, fertile agricultural region. It is made up of generally low-lying land near the Po River, the longest in Italy, which flows more than 650 km (404 miles) to spill into the Adriatic Sea in the east.
Due to industrial and other anthropogenic emissions, along with topography and climatology that tends to trap air low in the valley, haze often forms in the Po Valley. The haze is formed by a mixture of airborne particles known as aerosols, which rise from vehicle emissions, fires, industry, and other sources. The tall mountains rising near the Valley dampens air circulation and help set up the air inversions that trap air pollution near the surface.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 6/13/2025
Resolutions:
1km (396.5 KB), 500m (962.8 KB), 250m (667.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
A heavy haze hung over Italy’s Po Valley in early June 2025. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of the scene on June 13.
The Po Valley is one of the most densely populated regions in Italy as well as a rich, fertile agricultural region. It is made up of generally low-lying land near the Po River, the longest in Italy, which flows more than 650 km (404 miles) to spill into the Adriatic Sea in the east.
Due to industrial and other anthropogenic emissions, along with topography and climatology that tends to trap air low in the valley, haze often forms in the Po Valley. The haze is formed by a mixture of airborne particles known as aerosols, which rise from vehicle emissions, fires, industry, and other sources. The tall mountains rising near the Valley dampens air circulation and help set up the air inversions that trap air pollution near the surface.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 6/13/2025
Resolutions:
1km (396.5 KB), 500m (962.8 KB), 250m (667.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
