On February 21, 2007, more haze clouded the skies over the Yellow Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and the Sea of Japan. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite took this picture the same day, capturing the haze and clouds in the region.

The haze likely originated in China, where rapid economic development has produced an unwanted smoggy side effect. Coal-burning power plants and increased automobile ownership have harmed the country’s air quality. On February 8, 2007, the Worldwatch Institute issued a news release that China’s parliament backed a plan to shut down many of the nation’s smaller coal-fired power plants. According to World Watch magazine, small plants release 20 times as much smog-forming pollutants as larger plants.

NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team.

Instrument: 

Terra - MODIS