Satellite-assisted Management of Air Quality

Methodology

Earth observation (EO) data provide direct information on an air quality indicator, namely atmospheric turbidity, as measured by the optical thickness of the aerosol layer in the atmosphere. Furthermore, EO would give information on land use/cover including seasonal changes (e.g. snow coverage and surface albedo) and the landscape of the area of interest through the creation of digital elevation models (DEM). The profiles of aerosol optical thickness derived from EO refer to the total atmospheric column. It is reasonable to assume, however, that the majority of the pollutants of interest for air quality assessment remain within an atmospheric layer that spans from the ground till the mixing height in the atmosphere. Mixing height is calculated from meteorological data, based either on observation data or on meteorological models such as CALMET. This information will then be used to correct the optical thickness values derived from EO image processing and calculate the scattering coefficient of aerosol.

Ground-based air quality measurements (coming from the fixed monitoring network and/or from ad hoc experimental campaigns) are stored in an air quality database. These data serve as input to a chemical model used for the transformation of primary pollutants such as NOx and SO2 into secondary aerosol. Through this process and measurements of PM10 and PM2.5, the amount of atmospheric aerosol and the chemical species comprising it are calculated and a statistical model correlates the scattering coefficient of aerosol (derived from satellite data) to its mass. Fine particulate and other pollutant maps of the area of interest can be produced from this correlation. The maps will be completed with the help of an as hoc campaign employing biosensors to estimate both the spatial distribution of pollution and its effect on ecosystem health.

The maps will be visualised either locally at the TEI of Western Macedonia or, via the Internet Map Server, through the Web site of the local authority responsible for local/regional atmospheric pollution. In addition, health impact indicator maps will be created by applying exposure-response functions to the atmospheric pollution data taking into account the population density distribution in the area of interest.

On the basis of these results, and taking into account a techno-economic analysis of the main polluting activities in the area of Western Macedonia, optimised scenarios for pollution abatement and for reduction of human exposure to air pollutants will be developed with a target to lead to a significant reduction of the air quality burden on human health in the area.

In addition to the implementation of the project in the area of Western Macedonia (Greece), there will be two pilot demonstration implementations in the region of Veneto (Italy) and Budapest (Hungary). These implementations aim at the standardization of the project and the examination of the possibilities of extending it in other Member States and regions in the EU.