Farm fires, particularly those caused by paddy crop waste, contribute to air pollution in northern India. Satellite data is used to monitor and treat this issue.
CREAMS Laboratory: Farm Fire Monitoring
- The Consortium for Research on Agro-ecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS) Laboratory of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) is in charge of gathering and distributing daily bulletins on paddy residue fires.
- Coverage: The information includes Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi.
- The following information is provided: The bulletin provides district-specific fire incidence counts, prior year comparison data, location, satellite information, time, and fire intensity.
Satellite Data Collection Satellites:
- Three NASA satellites acquire data by capturing land surface temperatures (VIIRS on Suomi NPP, MODIS on Terra and Aqua).
- Coverage: These satellites fly over the Indian subcontinent twice a day, at different times.
- Resolution: VIIRS has better resolution than MODIS, which has a coarser resolution.
- Data Application: Satellite data is used to distinguish agricultural fires from other forms of flames, such as forest fires or industrial fires.
Standardisation of Monitoring Protocols:
- In 2021, a uniform methodology for monitoring agricultural fires using satellite data was created.
- Data Comparison: Comparable data is available beginning in 2020.
- Data from Punjab: The Punjab Remote Sensing Centre offers comparable data for Punjab.
Identifying Paddy Fires Reflectance Signature:
- Paddy crop residue fires are characterised by their distinct reflectance signature.
- Land Surface Temperature: Active fires are determined based on differences in land surface temperature from surrounding locations.
- Fire Intensity: The quantity of residue burnt is indicated by intensity, which is represented as energy released per unit area per unit time.
Agencies Receiving Bulletins:
- Bulletins are distributed to central and state-level agencies such as the Commission for Air Quality Management, the Ministry of Agriculture, and state agriculture departments.
- Action develop: Authorities utilise the data to identify hotspots and develop steps to mitigate farm fires, such as machinery availability.
- Objectives: Using satellite data, certain governments, such as Punjab and Haryana, established objectives for lowering farm fire incidence.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-farm-fires-are-counted-punjab-stubble-burning-9040003/