AIR POLLUTION - THE CRISIS

~ Swarnamuki P., 3rd year, B.E. Geoinformatics

New Delhi has one of the worst air quality in the country primarily due to motor vehicle emissions, wood-burning fires, exhaust from diesel generators, dust from construction sites etc. Delhi developed a Pure Oxygen Zone, India's first ever Oxygen bar, providing fresh air to breathe, but at some expense Hence, air pollution needs to be studied accurately and adequate measures has to be taken Air pollution is mainly caused by anthropogenic activities such as burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes, and automobiles (motor vehicles). Harmful pollutants like particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide exist in the atmosphere and cause air pollution To ensure good air quality, the U S Environmental Protection Agency created AQI (Air Quality Index). It is an index for reporting air quality daily and measures how air pollution affects one's health within a short period of time. The higher the AQI value (in a value range from 0 to 500), the greater the level of air pollution

Remote sensing and GIS contribute to air pollution monitoring Classically, monitoring of air pollution and its quality has been done using ground-based instrumentation that are designed to monitor specific pollutants. These instruments are quite expensive, and the coverage is limited by the number of air pollutant stations in each area So, they cannot provide a good spatial distribution of air pollutant readings Remote Sensing is an invaluable tool for data acquisition for integration into a Geographic Information System (GIS). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been identified as important tools for integrating and analyzing spatial information from different disciplines and sources

GIS integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualizations and the geographic analysis benefits offered by maps Satellite imagery provide large spatial coverage and reliable and repeated measurements, which would be helpful to monitor aerosols and their transport patterns and air quality on a local and global scale. There are numerous satellite data that can indicate criteria for air pollutants (e g, PM2 5 and NO2 ) The selection of satellite data to address specific air quality issues depends on data accuracy and spatial and temporal resolution, among others. Remote sensing offers a platform for creating an inventory database and thematic map for air pollution studies The four major satellite remote sensing techniques used to determine air quality in urban areas are as follows The first and most prominent method is measuring the aero sol thickness in the atmosphere, the second is black particle measurement, the third is a visual inspection of satellite imagery and the fourth is land-use/land-cover change analysis Current remote sensing systems for air pollution monitoring uses mainly infrared or ultraviolet light to detect pollutants that cause air pollution WHO has worked to ensure that health-relevant indicators of household and ambient pollution exposure and disease burden are included in the formal system of SDG indicators It includes, SDG target 3 9 1, which calls for a substantial reduction in deaths and illnesses from air pollution, SDG target 7 1 2, which aims to ensure access to clean energy in homes, SDG target 11.6.2, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of cities by improving air quality. To control air pollution, as a common man, one should plant more trees, implement carpooling to reduce the carbon monoxide content in the atmosphere etc Electrostatic precipitates (ESP's), like air filters, should be used to collect and remove particulate matter, such as dust, from industrial emissions and exhaust. Hence, in assessing, controlling and managing air pollution, Remote Sensing and GIS is a very powerful aid to achieve good quality of air, safe to all life forms as well as the environment