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NARSTO Workshop on Innovative Methods for Emission Inventory Development and Evaluation University of Texas, Austin October 14-17, 2003 |
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Utilization of NASA Data and Information to Support Emission Inventory Development
Doreen Neil and Jack Fishman
NASA
Jim Szykman
EPA
Over the next decade, data to inform air quality management decisions and policies will need to cover large spatial domains to accommodate decisions which more frequently cross geopolitical boundaries, including intercontinental boundaries. Until now, the study of air pollution relied primarily on ground based measurements, episodic field intensive studies, and chemical transport modeling. However, more frequent and spatially comprehensive assessments are needed to understand the interaction between global air pollution and regional air quality. The air quality management community requires consistent measurement methods capable of national coverage to make such assessments.
IDEA (Infusing satellite data into environmental air quality applications) is a joint project between NASA and EPA to improve air quality assessment, management, and prediction by infusing (NASA) satellite measurements into (EPA) analyses for public benefit. IDEA is sponsored by both EPA and NASA´s Earth Science Applications Program. The IDEA project has evaluated existing satellite based measurements of the criteria pollutants O3, SO2, NO2, CO, and aerosols (PM2.5) in comparison with (EPA) ground based measurements. Such measurements can have profound impact in the study of emerging issues in air quality, particularly in the evaluation of emissions and transport.
We will present recent case studies of the relationship between satellite measurements and ground monitors, with visualization of recent large scale pollution events captured by satellites and compared with EPA ground monitors. We show how satellites can provide the pseudo-synoptic view of pollution events across North America unlike any other system and discuss planned demonstration projects.