Chicago Residents Observe NASA’s DC-8 Flying Science Lab Collecting Data on Emissions
Chicago residents may have seen – or heard – the huge plane circling in and around the city on Tuesday. It was flying much lower than usual and for good reason.
The DC-8 flying science lab will be taking to the skies over major cities like Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles this summer as it collects data about emissions in the atmosphere. CBS 2’s Jermont Terry went out to learn more about the flying laboratory.
NASA’s DC 8 flight pattern over Chicago on Tuesday morning.
The plane took off from Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and flew over Chicago and Northwest Indiana on Tuesday morning.
Around noon, the aircraft flew at 1,400 feet over Lincoln Park, traveling around 250 miles per hour, according to Flight Aware.
The agency warned the flyover would be very loud.
Naomi Muskovin and her 4-year-old nephew were in Humboldt Park where the buzz wasn’t only coming from the bees. They quickly realized that NASA was conducting science research was going on right above.
“I suppose that is a positive thing to test the air pollution in this area,” Muskovin said.
That’s especially after the dangerous air quality days Chicago has experienced over the summer from Canadian wildfires.
The aircraft was also set to travel east into Northwest Indiana before turning back toward Chicago where CBS 2’s cameras captured it hanging low over Humboldt Park.
Man: “It was low. It was pretty low. You could hear it.”
Terry: “You don’t see big planes that low, do you?”
Man: “No, not here.”
The plane soared about 22,000 feet in the air, much lower than the usual 42,000 feet a commercial aircraft flies. The purpose was to collect data and produce 3D mapping of where the pollution is over big cities, like Chicago, to pinpoint the source.
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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the collection of data about emissions in the atmosphere and the need to replace old satellites to monitor air pollution. These issues are directly related to climate action (SDG 13) and the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15).
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- SDG 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
The article highlights the need for data collection to inform policies and planning related to climate change (SDG 13.2). It also emphasizes the importance of monitoring air pollution to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15.1).
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 13.2: Number of countries with integrated policies, strategies, and plans for climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
- Indicator for SDG 15.1: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas.
The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, the data collected by the flying laboratory can contribute to measuring progress towards the identified targets. For SDG 13.2, the number of countries using the collected data to inform their policies and plans can be an indicator. For SDG 15.1, the data can help assess the coverage of protected areas in important sites for biodiversity.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Number of countries with integrated policies, strategies, and plans for climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. | Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas. |
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Source: cbsnews.com
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