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NASA - Earth Observations and Tools for Air Quality Applications

Posted on April 26th 2015
Share: aqicn.org/faq/2015-04-26/nasa-earth-observations-and-tools-for-air-quality-applications/

We had the honor to be invited by Dr Pawan Gupta from the NASA Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) team to give a presentation about our World Air Quality Index project at the Earth Observations and Tools for Air Quality Applications webinar:

arset.gsfc.nasa.gov/airquality/webinars/observations-tools-south-east-asia

For those who could not attend the training and would like to get our presentation, you can download it from this link: waqi-arset-v1.2.pdf (the full webinar content is also available from the arset-aq website).


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During the webinar session, Dr Pawan Gupta presented the Dust Storm which started on April 2015 2nd and moved from the Arabic Peninsula towards India in just few days.

The animation below is showing this dust storm, based on the MODIS imagery.

Since the use Aerosol Optical Depth over arid/desertic areas is still an active area of research (due to surface reflectance issue, read more from this article or that article), it is unfortunately not possible to use the dust score overlay to highlight the dust zones over the arabic peninsula.

So, instead, we are using a new processing concept to tentatively highlight the dust zone (highlighted in blue in the animation, and over the land only).

Click here to see all the FAQ entries
  • AQI Scale: What do the colors and numbers mean?
  • Using Statistical Distances for Real-time Sensor Networks Validation
  • Nitrogen Dioxyde (NO2) in our atmosphere

    • About the Air Quality and Pollution Measurement:

    About the Air Quality Levels

    AQIAir Pollution LevelHealth ImplicationsCautionary Statement (for PM2.5)
    0 - 50GoodAir quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no riskNone
    51 -100ModerateAir quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
    101-150Unhealthy for Sensitive GroupsMembers of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
    151-200UnhealthyEveryone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effectsActive children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion
    201-300Very UnhealthyHealth warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
    300+HazardousHealth alert: everyone may experience more serious health effectsEveryone should avoid all outdoor exertion

    To know more about Air Quality and Pollution, check the wikipedia Air Quality topic or the airnow guide to Air Quality and Your Health.

    For very useful health advices of Beijing Doctor Richard Saint Cyr MD, check www.myhealthbeijing.com blog.


    Usage Notice: All the Air Quality data are unvalidated at the time of publication, and due to quality assurance these data may be amended, without notice, at any time. The World Air Quality Index project has exercised all reasonable skill and care in compiling the contents of this information and under no circumstances will the World Air Quality Index project team or its agents be liable in contract, tort or otherwise for any loss, injury or damage arising directly or indirectly from the supply of this data.



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