A Satellite-based Decision Support Tool for Surface PM2.5 Estimates in
California
Abstract
Fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) at the
surface presents large health risks to the public. Providing long-term,
spatially continuous data set of PM2.5 surface concentrations can
support decision making by health departments, air agencies, as well as
other stakeholders interested in public health. In this work, a
website-based decision support tool will be shown. The tool includes two
main parts. The first part is a multi-year, daily, 3-km database for
PM2.5 concentrations in California from 2006 to present in both map and
tabulate formats. The second part is a daily, 3-km, near real-time
update of PM2.5 surface concentrations in California in the last seven
days. The near real-time data are generated within 24 hours after the
NASA A-train satellite swath. For both products, PM2.5 surface estimates
are generated based on a fusion of EPA ground-based monitored data and
satellite-derived PM2.5 data from the NASA Aqua/MODIS satellite sensor.
This decision support tool can be used to provide quick and easy
visualization of certain episodic events (such as California wildfires)
on a daily basis. It can also be used to conduct multi-year statistical
analysis, such as identifying the higher PM2.5 concentration days above
95th percentile as the days being impacted by wildfires. These datasets
and the decision support tool is publicly available and can be accessed
via the SJSU HAQAST website:
http://www.met.sjsu.edu/weather/HAQAST/home.html