Part 4—Identify and Investigate Anomalies

Step 1 – Explore Morgan Lake, New Mexico

1. Turn off all data layers.
2. Use the Google Earth search box to "Fly To" Morgan Lake, New Mexico.
   
   
   
   
3. To see what the area is like, zoom out to an Eye Altitude of about 60 km (40 miles). Read the "Eye alt" value shown in the extreme lower-right of the Google Earth window.
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4. Turn on the Population Density layer to check how many people live within this area of New Mexico. Based on your observations, make a prediction about the NO₂ concentrations you would expect to find in this area.
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   Based on the rural appearance and relatively low population density, NO₂ concentrations will be low.

Step 2 – Explore the Relationship between Population and NO₂ Concentration

1. Turn on the January 2010 NO₂ concentration layer and interpret it for this area. What is the NO₂ concentration like for the area around Morgan Lake?
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   NO₂concentrations are relatively high (yellow).
2. Hypothesize one or more possible explanations that could account for high NO₂concentrations in a sparsely populated area of New Mexico?
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   • The area could have a lot of cars that put NO₂ into the atmosphere.
   • The area could be surrounded by mountains that trap NO₂.
   • The area could have a power plant that produces NO₂.
   • Lake processes at Morgan Lake could be producing NO₂.
3. Look for evidence to support your hypothesis. For instance, if you thought mountains around the area were trapping the NO₂, zoom out, or examine the terrain to see if you were right.
4. If you looked into the location of power plants in the area, you'd find that the Four Corners Power Plant is located nearby. This coal-burning plant supplies electricity to many locations in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Burning coal at this plant is responsible for producing nitric oxide that is leading to the production of nitrogen dioxide. To locate the plant, type its name into the "Fly To" box.
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   Burning coal accounts for about 21% of the energy produced in the United States each year. Of this, 88% of it is burned to produce electricity. The by-products of burning coal include hydrocarbons and sulfur dioxide among other pollutants. This can contribute to the formation of many types of smog (including photochemical). Sources: Plummer, C.C., & Carlson, D.H. (2007). Physical Geology (12th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Flow by Source and Sector. Total Energy Production by Source
   
   

Step 3 – Examine Seasonal Differences around Morgan Lake

Turn on the May 2010 NO₂ layer and compare it to the January image for the same location. Consider the following questions:

• When are the NO₂ concentrations higher at Morgan Lake, during January or May?
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  January has a higher NO₂ concentration than May.
• Hypothesize one or more possible explanations for NO₂ concentrations near Morgan Lake being higher in January than in May.
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  • The Four Corners Power Plant may be more active during January than May because people need more electricity to run lights and heaters during January than in May.
  • Weather and wind patterns may be different in the two seasons, resulting in lower concentrations of NO₂ during May because the NO₂ is spread over a larger area.

Step 4 – Consider Questions for Further Exploration

Use visual inspection to look for other areas that have elevated NO₂ concentrations without high population density. Ponder the following questions:

• What suggestions can you make to reduce NO₂ pollution from automobile emissions?
• Given that technology exists to reduce NO₂ emissions from fuel combustion (e.g., catalytic converters), why do you think more is not being done to mitigate this problem?
• What might be done to reduce NO₂ production?
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  • The most direct way to reduce NO₂ is to drive fewer miles in your car. Combining errands and going fewer places in order to cut back on the number of vehicle miles driven per year will reduce NO₂ in the atmosphere.
  • Investment in research and development of low-cost catalytic converters to change the composition of vehicle exhaust to less harmful substances could reduce NO₂ production.
  • Efforts to reduce the production of NO₂ may not be implemented because manufacturers may perceive that the costs would reduce their profits.
  • Electric cars are now becoming more available. These offer opportunities for localized exhaust emission reduction. However, a large amount of electricity is produced from the burning of coal, and so the problems of smog may be merely displaced to a different location. Solar energy is one viable alternative.

  For further research into these issues, find information at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)