Sentinel-5A satellite shows the real story behind earth’s ozone hole and pollution, see the first images!
A new satellite, Sentinel-5A, has begun sending back its first batch of images, offering fresh insights into Earth’s atmosphere. Launched in August 2025, the satellite is already mapping pollutants, gases, and even tracking the infamous ozone hole over Antarctica.
The satellite’s advanced technology allows it to capture a detailed view of gases and particles in the atmosphere, from nitrogen dioxide over busy cities to sulfur dioxide from volcanic eruptions. With this real-time data, scientists can better understand air quality trends, monitor the recovery of the ozone layer, and track the movement of harmful pollutants across the globe.
Monitoring the Ozone Hole
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the ozone column in this region drops below 220 Dobson Units, a key threshold indicating severe depletion. One of the key objectives of Sentinel-5A is to monitor the state of the ozone layer. On October 13, 2025, the satellite captured a detailed image of the ozone hole over Antarctica.
The ozone layer plays a crucial role in shielding life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation, but it has been severely damaged by certain chemicals. Since the global ban on these substances in 1989, the ozone layer has been slowly recovering. However, the process is gradual, with ozone levels in the polar regions still dipping below critical thresholds.
Tracking Nitrogen Dioxide Over Urban Areas
Sentinel-5A also captures nitrogen dioxide levels over various regions, particularly over heavily industrialized areas. Images from the Middle East show high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide over cities, oil and gas refineries, and power plants.
This pollutant, often produced by the burning of fossil fuels, can have serious health effects, including respiratory problems. Similarly, the satellite also revealed elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide over the Nile Valley, a region affected by industrial emissions. These observations provide an accurate and timely picture of air pollution, which can be essential for policymaking and public health responses.
“It is exciting to see that an idea we have been working for more than a decade has come to life,” noted Heinrich Bovensmann of the University of Bremen.
Volcanoes and Wildfires: Do They Contribute to Natural Emissions?
One of the satellite’s striking images shows a plume of sulfur dioxide coming from the Klyuchevskaya volcano in Russia. Volcanic eruptions release huge amounts of gases into the atmosphere, and Sentinel-5A’s ability to spot these emissions is key to understanding their impact on the environment.
The satellite has also picked up formaldehyde over parts of Africa, which comes from both wildfires and natural sources. As stated by the ESA’s Ben Veihelmann, these observations are important for tracking how natural events contribute to air pollution and how those events affect the global atmosphere.
“Sentinel-5 is a very powerful European mission to observe our atmosphere. With its long mission lifetime, Sentinel-5 will be instrumental for monitoring greenhouse gases, ozone layer recovery, and air pollution trends.”
Sentinel-5A’s launch represents a major step forward in atmospheric monitoring. By capturing real-time data from space, the satellite offers an unprecedented ability to track air quality, pollution, and atmospheric changes across the globe.
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NOTE – This article was originally published in DAILY GALAXY and can be viewed here
