King Air 350 Begins 6-Week Utah Ozone Mapping Mission

2 articles · Updated · Deseret News · Jul 18

Twice-daily flights over the Salt Lake valley have begun as a King Air 350 starts its first scientific campaign to measure ozone and the VOC and NOx pollutants that form it.
The six-week mission targets the 200- to 4,000-foot gap that vans sample only from the ground and satellites observe only from far above, giving researchers a new view of how pollution changes by time of day and day of week.
Utah officials and university scientists say the data could show which emission sources can be reduced, though they expect 1 to 3 years of analysis and peer-reviewed studies before findings are ready to guide policy.
The project, planned for at least 3 years, brings together NASA, the Utah Division of Air Quality, NCAR and several universities as heat, drought and wildfires worsen the valley's summer ozone problem.

Sources

Deseret News2d ago

King Air 350 Aircraft Maps Utah Ozone Problem for Six Weeks

Yahoo! Voices2d ago

Research aircraft flying over Salt Lake City hunting for ozone

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The 2026 King Air 350 Mission: Transforming Ozone Measurement and Air Quality Solutions in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley

Overview

In July 2026, a six-week scientific mission began over Utah’s Salt Lake Valley, marking a major step in addressing the region’s ongoing ozone pollution problem. This effort is part of a larger, multi-year strategy and is powered by strong collaboration between leading institutions like the University of Utah, Utah State University, NOAA, and NCAR. Using a specially modified King Air 350 aircraft equipped with advanced instruments, researchers are able to measure key ozone precursors such as VOCs and NOx, as well as important meteorological data. These detailed measurements are essential for understanding the complex atmospheric conditions that drive ozone formation in the valley.

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