Improving Air Quality Communication with Advanced Mapping and Data Distribution Techniques Scott A. Jackson¹, P. H. Zahn², C. P. MacDonald², D. S. Miller², A. C. Chan², J.E. White¹. 25th Conference on International Interactive Information and Processing Systems (IIPS) for Meteorology, Oceanography, and Hydrology AMS Annual Meeting Phoenix, Arizona January 14, 2009 ¹EPA Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, ²Sonoma Technology, Inc.

Party Favors Access to current air quality conditions and forecasts is important. (e.g. reduces emissions, saves lives). AIRNow provides the framework for doing this. A new AIRNow system (AIRNow-International) is improving this access through more advanced mapping and data distribution techniques. AIRNow-International is linked into the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) in order to promote air quality data sharing worldwide so that people can breathe clean air everywhere (especially urban populations).

PollutantsNo. of Metropolitan areas Ozone*57 PM PM Background *According to 2000 census data, 131,977,890 live in ozone nonattainment areas Non-Attainment Areas

Protect public health Provide understandable information on past, current, and future air pollution Reduce emissions to reduce pollution Regulatory (laws) Voluntary Increase public understanding of air pollution Support laws and regulations Increase chance of behavior change Background Goals:

Air Quality Index (AQI) creates consistency Links concentrations to health effects and actions Ranges from 1 to 500; 101+ is unhealthy AQI Values AQI Category (Descriptor) AQI Color GoodGreen ModerateYellow Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Orange UnhealthyRed Very UnhealthyPurple HazardousMaroon Actions depend on –pollutant/ health effects –transport system –culture –incentives –economic level –education/outreach –climate –and more… AQI of 129 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Action: Choose a cleaner commute; carpool, use public transportation, bike, or walk 8-hr ozone concentration of 87 ppb Health Effects: Irritated respiratory system, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath Daily standard Background

AIRNow is a national framework for acquiring and distributing air quality information – Collects, quality assures, and transfers real-time and forecasted air quality information to the public – Gathers data provided by 120+ federal, state, and local air quality agencies – Communicates air quality with the AQI – Issues weather/air quality news stories – Partners with national media – Provides air quality education and outreach Background

AIRNow Data Flow Background

More Advanced Mapping Current Real-Time Air Quality Maps PM 2.5 Bubble MapOzone Contour Map

Goals for New Maps: Accurate maps: Interpolated AQI is consistent with observations at stations. Spatially complete maps: use statistical interpolation techniques to provide easy-to-read maps with information in areas without monitors Combined AQI maps: display the maximum AQI at each point, regardless of pollutant. A statistical technique to mask off areas with sparse measurements Example PM 2.5 map More Advanced Mapping

Method of Map Development and Production ESRI ArcGIS: a powerful multi-faceted map analysis and production tool Geostatistical Analyst and Spatial Analyst toolboxes in ArcGIS –Provide a suite of interpolation techniques and error measures for evaluation –Can be used to produce maps in real-time using the same techniques developed in this analysis. Map products are visually appealing, accurate, and easy to modify as needed More Advanced Mapping (3 of 7)

Summary for all ozone cases Results of Map Analysis: Ozone MethodRMS ErrorStd. Dev. IDW Kriging Reg. Spline Tension Spline Constr. Kriging IDW Kriging Regularized Spline Observations Tension Spline Constrained Kriging Interpolation Error (ppb) More Advanced Mapping (4 of 7)

Select maximum AQI for each location Produce AQI values for areas that are masked out for one parameter, but not for another Ozone with mask PM 2.5 with mask Combined AQI with mask More Advanced Mapping Combined AQI Maps

Animation of fused model and agency forecasts NOAA Model Max Agency Max More Advanced Mapping Data Fusion: Integrating multiple sources of air quality information Station observations and model output Agency forecasts and model predictions (example below) Observed Max

AIRNow-International –Ground-up redesign of the U.S. AIRNow system Transitioning from Oracle to Microsoft SQL Server New GIS-based Mapping System (AIRNow Mapper) Information Services (Service-Oriented Architecture approach) –RSS, CAP, KML, NETCDF, SMS text messages –Provides new, international features: Multiple language support World-wide mapping capability –Built with open components that can be adopted by any state, country or province

Administration of the System AIRNow Data Management System (DMS) AIRNow Information Service AIRNow Mapper Web Service AIRNow Database Data Files Web Services* Data Files* Maps* Image layers* Data Inputs Processing, QA, Reporting Outputs *Outputs will conform to standards to promote sharing and interoperability = file = web service = module = data/info transfer AIRNow-International

Supports and embraces the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) concept –Group on Earth Observations is a voluntary partnership of governments and international organizations –Interconnecting existing and future Earth observation systems AIRNow-International can help countries participate in the sharing of air quality data AIRNow-International

Party Favors Access to current air quality conditions and forecasts is important. (e.g. reduces emissions, saves lives). AIRNow provides the framework for doing this. A new AIRNow system (AIRNow-International) is improving this access through more advanced mapping and data distribution techniques. AIRNow-International is linked into the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS) in order to promote air quality data sharing worldwide so that people can breathe clean air everywhere (especially urban populations).

Contact Information Scott Jackson US EPA AIRNow Program –