Data Analysis Matrix
Data Sources, Tools for Analysis and Collaboration, Products and Decision Support
Real-time Analysis
Retrospective Anal.
Near-Forecasts
Long-Forecasts
Days
Months-years
Days
Years
EPA PM2.5Mass
NWS ASOS Visibility, WEBCAMs
NASA MODIS, GOES, TOMS etc.
NOAA WEATHER & Wind
NAAPS MODEL Simulation
All the Real-Time data +
NPS IMPROVE Aer. Chem.
EPA Speciation
EPA PM10/PM2.5
EPA CMAQ Full Chem. Model
NAAPS MODEL Forecast
NOAA/EPA CMAQ?
EPA & RPO CMAQ?
Spatio-temporal overlays
Multi-sensory data integration
Back & forward trajectories
Pattern analysis
Full chemical model simulation
Diagnostic & inverse modeling
Chemical source apportionment
Multiple event statistics
Emission and met. forecasts
Full chemical model
Data assimilation
Parcel tagging, tracking
Emission and met. forecast
Full chemical model
Communication
Collaboration
Coordination
Methods
Analyst and managers consoles
Open, inclusive communication
Data assimilation methods
Community data & idea sharing
Tech Reports for reg. support
Peer reviewed scientific papers
Science-AQ mgmt. interaction
Reconciliation of perspectives
Open, public forecasts
Model-data comparison
Modeler-data analyst comm.
Analysis
Products
Current Aerosol Pattern
Evolving Event Summary
Causality (dust, smoke, sulfate)
Quantitative natural aer. concr.
Natural source attribution
Comparison to manmade aer.
Future natural emissions
Simulated conc. pattern
Future location of high conc.
Future natural emissions
Simulated conc. pattern
Decision
Support
Jurisdiction: nat./manmade
Triggers for management action
Public information & decisions
Jurisdiction: nat./manmade
State Implementation Plans, (SIP)
PM/Haze Crit. Documents, Regs
Management action triggers
Public info. & decisions
Statutory & policy changes
Long-term planning
Progress tracking
Data Sources &
Types
Data Analysis
Tools &
Methods
•
sagfsdh
National Ambient Air Monitoring Strategy (NAAMS):
New approach AQ monitoring
• Flexible response to national/local, present/future and public/scientific/health needs
• Improved scientific and technical competency of networks
• More effectively informing the public
• Responsible management in a resource constrained environment
Ambient Air Monitoring Applications
Assessments (from NAAMS)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
NAAQS setting (health/welfare effects)
NAAQS attainment status
Air quality trends
Control strategy effectiveness
Source characterization
EPA Air Monitoring system effectiveness
Provide information to the public
Specific 12 objectives of National Monitoring Strategy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Address health issues, optimize efficiency, and accommodate future needs, within the constraints of funding.
The new paradigm couples minimum level of required national monitoring with flexible local monitoring.
Provides timely air quality information to the public, including the mapping forecasting.
Promotes network efficiencies through the reevaluation of regulations and quality assurance procedures.
Fosters the utilization of new measurement method technologies.
Periodically assess the network relevance and efficiency from national and local/regional perspectives
Encourage multi-pollutant measurements for better AQ management and scientific/health-based data.
Provide base monitoring to support regulatory needs (SIP, Source-apport., Model eval., Track progress)
Develop and implement public information and outreach program.
Seek input from the scientific community as to the merit/value of proposed changes.
Provide data support for other purposes (Eco-Assessment, Global Issues, Research, Bio-Sensing)
Periodically assess and recommend monitoring network funding levels
Recommendations of NMSC
1.
The networks need to produce more insightful data by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2.
A new national monitoring network design (called NCore) should accommodate these recommendations and the major demands of
air monitoring networks, such as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
including a greater level of multi-pollutant monitoring sites in
representative urban and rural areas across the Nation
expanding use of advanced continuously operating instruments and new
information transfer technologies
investing in hazardous air pollutant (HAPs) measurements
supporting advanced research level stations
trend determinations;
reporting to the public;
assessing the effectiveness of emission reduction strategies;
providing data for health assessments and National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) review;
determinations of attainment and nonattainment status.
Flexibility must be maintained and even increased for State and local agencies and Tribes to address local and area-specific issues
including, for example, environmental justice concerns, episodic PM and ozone events, and “local” or hot pot air toxics problems.
Periodic assessments of air monitoring networks must be performed to determine if the existing network structure is optimally
meeting national and local objectives. The current national review of the networks indicate that many criteria pollutant measurements
(e.g., nitrogen and sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxide, PM10) are providing limited value which, through divestments, present
opportunities to invest in more relevant areas (e.g., HAPs, continuous PM2.5). Such assessments and network decisions are best
addressed through regional level evaluations.
The network modifications, including NCore, should be conducted within current resource allocations used to support monitoring
(e.g., with respect to staffing). However, there needs to be modest investments in new equipment to upgrade monitoring systems to
meet new priorities and accommodate advanced technologies.
Recommendations for network changes should engage the public. A strong public communications program is advocated, both at the
national and local levels.
Existing monitoring regulations require modifications and promulgation by EPA to accommodate recommended network changes.
NAAMS – Satellite link
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Incorporation of non-NCOre datasets
There is currently monitoring being conducted to assess welfare effects which has not been coordinated with the NAAMS. For example, the
National Acid Deposition Program (NADP) network is measuring the composition and fluxes of acid precipitation to provide the data needed to
assess the impacts of acid deposition on ecosystems. It would be useful to initiate discussions with the NADP management so as to coordinate their
measurements with components of the EPA ambient air monitoring such as CASTNET and IMPROVE in order to maximize the information
content of the resulting data. The principles and procedures of incorporating non-NCore datasets such as NADP, satellite data and surface visibility
data into the monitoring program should be explicitly considered by the Strategy.
Application of Spatial Analysis
The Subcommittee was specifically asked to comment on the use of spatial analysis in network design and the utilization of the resulting data.
Currently, the Strategy has very little detail on the use of spatial analysis as part of the monitoring network assessment, design, or application of the
resulting data. It may not be useful to put a lot more detail on spatial analysis methods into the Strategy, but the detailed discussion of these
methods will be critical as part of the network assessment guidance as well as future guidance on the interpretation of the resulting network data.
The Subcommittee supports the use of a number of well-established spatial analysis tools such as kriging, empirical orthogonal function analysis
and related techniques, and geographical information system (GIS) approaches that can be used for these purposes. These tools can also be used in
the regulatory decision-making process, such as establishing the spatial
domain of non-attainment areas for the criteria pollutants.
In addition to data analysis tools for the monitoring network, there are a variety of other data sources than can be used to assist in the spatial
analyses. These include satellite images and remote sensing data that can be combined with the ground level monitoring data to provide a richer
source of information that can be exploited as input to a variety of air quality decisions. At this time, there are a variety of approaches used for
defining the region over which a monitor measurements apply. Again, there will be a need for clear guidance that describe the well documented
spatial tools and how they can and should be applied to the interpretation of data from the monitoring network, for network assessment and design,
and, eventually, for regulatory decisions.
In addition to the data obtained through NCORE, there are a variety of other data sources that can be used to assist in the spatial analyses. These
include data from several satellites, surface visibility data from weather stations and other remote sensing data. These data can be combined with
the ground level monitoring data from NCORE sites, to provide a richer source of information that can be exploited as input to a variety of air
quality decisions.