New research suggests NASA satellite-derived estimates of fine particulate matter can fill gaps in ground-based monitoring networks to improve public healthcare insights.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Addressing Data Gaps: Researchers found that NASA satellite-derived data can quantify particle pollution in the nearly 80% of US counties that lack ground-based monitors.
- Identifying High-Risk Areas: The study identified 63 unmonitored counties with estimated pollution levels that would receive failing grades from the American Lung Association.
- Regional Data Variations: Satellite and ground-based data show the greatest differences in the western US, particularly in areas with mountains, deserts, and frequent wildfires.
Two research studies published in GeoHealth show how data from NASA satellites can help track local air quality on the ground in areas without monitoring equipment.
The studies examined the use of satellite-derived estimates of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) to complement the existing US air quality monitoring network. This research is significant because nearly 80% of counties do not have ground-based monitors for particle pollution, leaving approximately 30% of the US population unmonitored. The reports were authored by air quality experts from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Washington University in St Louis, and the American Lung Association.
The first study, “Applying Satellite-Derived PM2.5 Data to Policy-Relevant Air Quality Metrics,” used a new approach to identify areas with high levels of unhealthy particle pollution. The researchers found 63 counties without air quality monitors that showed estimated levels of particle pollution consistent with “failing” grades on the American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air” report.
The second study, “Comparison of Policy-Relevant Air Quality Metrics Calculated With Sparse In Situ Monitoring and Contiguous Satellite-Derived Data,” compared satellite-derived data with ground-based monitor data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The findings showed that counties with frequent wildfires, mountains, deserts, few monitors, or a large land area were more likely to show differences between the two datasets. These differences were most common in the western US and increased as more risk factors were present.
“Satellites can play an important role in tracking air quality, even in counties without monitors. It has been exciting to connect satellite-derived data with the information needs of the American Lung Association,” said Tracey Holloway, professor in the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and co-author of the studies, in a news release.
Fine particulate matter is a major public healthcare concern, as exposure is linked to heart disease, lung disease, and premature death.
“Our findings suggest that the more we can align satellite data with ground-based monitoring, the greater the potential exists to use that information to inform policy decisions to reduce air pollution,” said Kevin Stewart, director of environmental health for the American Lung Association and co-author of the studies.
