Particulate Matter Air Quality Assessment in EPA Region 4 Using Multi Year Satellite and Ground Based Measurements

Particulate matter air quality monitoring and forecasting using remote sensing observations has been a developing area of research over the last several years. Excessive air pollution due to small suspended particles is an environmental crisis of worldwide concern. Aerosol loading in an atmospheric column is estimated by retrieving aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from polar orbiting and geostationary satellites. These AOT values are inter-compared with coincident PM2.5 mass concentrations measured from surface stations. These AOT-PM2.5 relationships can then be used to obtain PM2.5 mass concentrations at those locations where surface measurements are not available. Hence, satellite data can be used to monitor global air pollution on an almost daily basis. In our current study we used seven years of surface and satellite data over several locations in EPA region 4 to derive these relationships. We also discuss the uncertainties associated with using satellite derived PM2.5 mass due to cloud and other sampling issues in satellite measurements. Specific case studies from the Georgia/Florida 2007 biomass burning and Spring biomass burning in Central America will also be presented.