airnow: real time air quality presented to the environmental science institute for teachers july 14,...
TRANSCRIPT
AIRNow: Real Time Air QualityAIRNow: Real Time Air Quality
Presented to the Environmental Science Institute for Teachers
July 14, 2010
Phil Dickerson, US EPA
Health Effects of Air Pollution
Air pollution affects everyoneAggravates
– lung disease, including asthma– heart disease, including congestive heart
failure
Resulting in:– More premature deaths – More admissions to hospitals– More trips to emergency rooms– More visits to doctors’ offices– More school and work absences– More symptom days
What AIRNow does
45 62
125485
215 55
• Coordination• Centralization• Air Quality Index conversion• Education• Distribution
About AIRNow
• Began in 1997• Funded by United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)• Diverse stakeholder community
– Federal, state, provincial, tribal and local air agencies (120+)
– Scientific and health research organizations (15+)– Media and public outreach groups (30+)
• Education and outreach• Substantial growth and data exchange• International activities
1997
2007
120+ State and 120+ State and Local Air Local Air Agencies Agencies
ObservationsObservations
Forecasts Forecasts
AIRNowAIRNowData Data
Management Management CenterCenter
InternetInternet
MediaMedia
DecisionDecisionMakers Makers
and and PublicPublic
Data Data
Maps and Maps and Forecasts Forecasts
About AIRNow
• Real-time, hourly maps and data
• Forecasts (300+ cities)• News stories, e.g.
wildfires• Web cams (air quality)• Seasonal air
comparisons
AIRNow Products
Other Media Outlets
National Media
Newspaper
Communication
Data and Forecasts
AIRNow web site
Decision Makers and Public
Cell phone and pagers
Local air agency websites
Local Media
h
www.enviroflash.info
•Real time air quality alerts
•State and local environmental agencies configure their own “look”
•Subscribers can receive full, graphical e-mails or short text messages for mobile devices
•Subscribers manage their own accounts and choose the level at which they are notified
It’s not just a system, it’s a community
• Annual conference• Regional cooperation• Daily interaction with stakeholders• Support during air quality events,
emergencies
AIRNow’s “Human Side”
• Leveraging state, local, and federal resources by collecting and distributing data back to
partners, as well as to media outlets
Goals– International collaboration and knowledge
exchange – Develop AIRNow2.0 - First major release in
10 years• Improve U.S. system by leveraging efforts• Add features to enable international use
– Promote local, national and international data exchange
• Agency to agency and agency to Public
About AIRNow-International
RealtimeDataFiles
Administration
AIRNow
Data
Management
System
(DMS)
AIRNow
Information
ServicesAIRNow
MapperWeb
Services
AIRNow Database
Web Services*
DataFiles*
Maps*Image layers*
Inputs Processing, Quality Assurance, Reporting Outputs
*Outputs will conform to international standards to promote sharing and interoperability
= file
= web service
= module
= data/info transfer
AIRNow International System(Conceptual and Functional Design & Data Flow)
• April 2008: MOU signed between Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau (EPB) and EPA to begin AIRNow-I pilot project
• January 2009: Beta testing begins• June 2009: OAQPS delegation visits Shanghai
to oversee installation of final hardware and software and conduct training
• May 2010: Public release of air quality information at the Shanghai World Expo
About AIRNow-International
A Short Demo…