Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data
Abstract Despite improvements in ambient air quality in the US in recent decades, many people still experience unhealthy levels of pollution. At present, national‐level alert‐day identification relies predominately on surface monitor networks and forecasters. Satellite‐based estimates of surface air...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2024-01-01
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| Series: | GeoHealth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000890 |
| _version_ | 1797341069377011712 |
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| author | Katelyn O'Dell Shobha Kondragunta Hai Zhang Daniel L. Goldberg Gaige Hunter Kerr Zigang Wei Barron H. Henderson Susan C. Anenberg |
| author_facet | Katelyn O'Dell Shobha Kondragunta Hai Zhang Daniel L. Goldberg Gaige Hunter Kerr Zigang Wei Barron H. Henderson Susan C. Anenberg |
| author_sort | Katelyn O'Dell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite improvements in ambient air quality in the US in recent decades, many people still experience unhealthy levels of pollution. At present, national‐level alert‐day identification relies predominately on surface monitor networks and forecasters. Satellite‐based estimates of surface air quality have rapidly advanced and have the capability to inform exposure‐reducing actions to protect public health. At present, we lack a robust framework to quantify public health benefits of these advances in applications of satellite‐based atmospheric composition data. Here, we assess possible health benefits of using geostationary satellite data, over polar orbiting satellite data, for identifying particulate air quality alert days (24hr PM2.5 > 35 μg m−3) in 2020. We find the more extensive spatiotemporal coverage of geostationary satellite data leads to a 60% increase in identification of person‐alerts (alert days × population) in 2020 over polar‐orbiting satellite data. We apply pre‐existing estimates of PM2.5 exposure reduction by individual behavior modification and find these additional person‐alerts may lead to 1,200 (800–1,500) or 54% more averted PM2.5‐attributable premature deaths per year, if geostationary, instead of polar orbiting, satellite data alone are used to identify alert days. These health benefits have an associated economic value of 13 (8.8–17) billion dollars ($2019) per year. Our results highlight one of many potential applications of atmospheric composition data from geostationary satellites for improving public health. Identifying these applications has important implications for guiding use of current satellite data and planning future geostationary satellite missions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:12:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-413bf349895f48a78a6f3876d52b4f7f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:12:31Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj.art-413bf349895f48a78a6f3876d52b4f7f2024-01-29T06:58:29ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032024-01-0181n/an/a10.1029/2023GH000890Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite DataKatelyn O'Dell0Shobha Kondragunta1Hai Zhang2Daniel L. Goldberg3Gaige Hunter Kerr4Zigang Wei5Barron H. Henderson6Susan C. Anenberg7Milken Institute School of Public Health George Washington University Washington DC USANOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and Research College Park MD USAI. M. Systems Group, NOAA NCWCP, 5830 University Research Ct College Park MD USAMilken Institute School of Public Health George Washington University Washington DC USAMilken Institute School of Public Health George Washington University Washington DC USAI. M. Systems Group, NOAA NCWCP, 5830 University Research Ct College Park MD USAU.S. EPA Office of Planning and Standards Durham NC USAMilken Institute School of Public Health George Washington University Washington DC USAAbstract Despite improvements in ambient air quality in the US in recent decades, many people still experience unhealthy levels of pollution. At present, national‐level alert‐day identification relies predominately on surface monitor networks and forecasters. Satellite‐based estimates of surface air quality have rapidly advanced and have the capability to inform exposure‐reducing actions to protect public health. At present, we lack a robust framework to quantify public health benefits of these advances in applications of satellite‐based atmospheric composition data. Here, we assess possible health benefits of using geostationary satellite data, over polar orbiting satellite data, for identifying particulate air quality alert days (24hr PM2.5 > 35 μg m−3) in 2020. We find the more extensive spatiotemporal coverage of geostationary satellite data leads to a 60% increase in identification of person‐alerts (alert days × population) in 2020 over polar‐orbiting satellite data. We apply pre‐existing estimates of PM2.5 exposure reduction by individual behavior modification and find these additional person‐alerts may lead to 1,200 (800–1,500) or 54% more averted PM2.5‐attributable premature deaths per year, if geostationary, instead of polar orbiting, satellite data alone are used to identify alert days. These health benefits have an associated economic value of 13 (8.8–17) billion dollars ($2019) per year. Our results highlight one of many potential applications of atmospheric composition data from geostationary satellites for improving public health. Identifying these applications has important implications for guiding use of current satellite data and planning future geostationary satellite missions.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000890air qualitysatellite datapublic health |
| spellingShingle | Katelyn O'Dell Shobha Kondragunta Hai Zhang Daniel L. Goldberg Gaige Hunter Kerr Zigang Wei Barron H. Henderson Susan C. Anenberg Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data GeoHealth air quality satellite data public health |
| title | Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data |
| title_full | Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data |
| title_fullStr | Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data |
| title_short | Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data |
| title_sort | public health benefits from improved identification of severe air pollution events with geostationary satellite data |
| topic | air quality satellite data public health |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000890 |
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