Presenters:
Shivi Anand
University of Southern California
Delhi’s air quality is notoriously poor during September to November, often earning the moniker “Gas Chamber.” In 2024, the AQI reached a record high of 800, the worst in four years. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana contributes 30–35% to this seasonal pollution. While organizations like Greenpeace India and the Center for Science and Environment investigate this issue, others, such as the Air Pollution Action Group, focus on vehicular and industrial emissions, often avoiding stubble burning due to its politically sensitive implications for economically vulnerable farmers.
Remote sensing offers a non-political, scientific method to understand stubble burning’s spatial impacts. Studies using MODIS and Landsat 8 imagery, often processed with tools like Google Earth Engine, have tracked burn areas and their contributions to urban air pollution. These analyses typically apply indices such as the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) to quantify burned areas. However, finer-resolution data from Planet, with its 3×3 meter imagery, remains underexplored.
This study will use Planet’s high-resolution satellite data alongside the NBR burn index to analyze stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana and its impact on Delhi’s air quality. This approach aims to advance understanding and support equitable, science-backed solutions.
