Maricopa County Health & Air Quality II
Modeling a Decade of PM10 Concentrations in Maricopa County, Arizona for Air Quality and Epidemiological Analysis
Exposure to air pollution is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Particulate matter (PM) less than 10 microns in diameter is a key contributor to poor air quality, posing a significant public health hazard. In Maricopa County, Arizona the combination of a scarcely vegetated, semi-arid landscape and high anthropogenic activity (e.g. the prevalence of industrial and agricultural activity, wood burning, and vehicle emissions) results in atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter that can exceed federal air quality standards and threaten human health. Despite the presence of one of the Southwest's most innovative pollutant monitoring networks, which benefits from the latest technologies in advanced real-time detection and prevention, the vast size and complex geography of Maricopa County make it difficult to monitor particulate matter in all communities of interest. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 2 aerosol optical depth data were utilized in combination with Landsat 7 ETM+ thermal band data, environmental variables, elevation, and transportation to predict particulate matter concentrations throughout Maricopa County. The predicted particulate matter concentrations were further examined in the context of the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Air Quality Index, which relates particulate concentration to health impact, to categorize the health risk around schools throughout the county. The end products produced from this project were given to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and the Maricopa County Air Quality Department for future epidemiological research and public outreach efforts.
Project Video:
The Air Up There: Using Satellites to Monitor Particulate Matter
- Location
- Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Arizona State University
- Term
- Fall 2016
- Partner(s)
- Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH)
Maricopa County Air Quality Department - NASA Earth Observations
- Terra, MODIS
Aqua, MODIS
Landsat 7, ETM+ - Team
- Tamara Dunbarr (Project Lead)
Michael Pechacek
Jayanth Serla
Parul Singh - Advisor(s)
- Lance Watkins (NASA DEVELOP National Program)
David Hondula (Arizona State University)