Satellite-Remote-Sensing-Based Monitoring of Straw Burning and Analysis of Its Impact on Air Quality

June every year in China is the right season for harvest of wheat,and also the period when straw burning takes place seriously in some part of the country.In June 2007,straw burning was monitored with the aid of the technology of satellite remote sensing.With some city cited as a case for study,impact of straw burning on environmental air quality was analyzed,taking into account the meteorological data of the region.Results show that straw burning happens mainly in winter wheat production area,especially the North China Plain,where the number of straw burning sites accounted for 86.9% of the country’s.Within the month of June,straw burning occurred mainly in the first half of the month,accounting for 87.3% of the total in the month.Correlation analysis shows that change in the number of straw burning sites coincided with the change in air pollution index of the buffer area between 700 and 800 km around,with a correlation coefficient being 0.54.When meteorological conditions are not favorable for dispersion of air pollutants,straw burning will significantly affect the air quality.