Satellite Investigation of Transboundary Haze Transport from Sumatran Fires to George Town, Penang

An independent A-level satellite remote-sensing investigation of whether increased aerosol loading over George Town, Penang, during August–September 2019 was consistent with transport from fires in Riau, Jambi, and South Sumatra. The study combines VIIRS active-fire detections, MODIS MAIAC aerosol optical depth, Sentinel-5P Absorbing Aerosol Index, ERA5 winds, NOAA HYSPLIT back trajectories, a trajectory ensemble, and Penang ground air-quality context. Results support an important but meteorologically variable Sumatran influence and demonstrate the value of combining independent source, aerosol, wind, trajectory, and ground evidence.