Simulation of the world's daily air traffic

October 7, 2008

At Zurich University (Switzerland) have recently made an impressive video, which simulates daily airplane traffic over the world. In a minute long simulation, you can see what is daily happening in the sky.

The highest density of air traffic at daytime is above USA, Europe, Eastern and Southeastern Asia. In other parts of the world, it is calmer, except between some big metropolis in South America (Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires); Eastern Australia (Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney) and India. Above Africa, Siberia and some other parts of Asia and South America, there is very few air traffic, so as above the oceans. Heavy air traffic is carrying only above Northern Atlantic where big quantities of airplanes fly between Europe and Northern America every day, especially in the daytime. On the other hand, density of flights at night hours reduces strictly in all parts of the world, except above USA.

Look at the video and try to follow the dark shadow, which simulates nighttime. Yellow spots represent airplanes, but do not be afraid because they are much bigger in comparison with the Earth as in reality, otherwise we could not be able to see them. Practically, there is no chance for collision of two airplanes high in the sky. Environmentalists have already commented this simulation and they warn that airplane industry produce about 2% of CO2 emissions on our planet.