Satellite-aided evaluation of population exposure to air pollution

Environmental Science & Technology
By: , and 

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Abstract

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 set schedules for states to implement regional, spatial assessments of air quality impacts. Accordingly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently published guidelines for quantifying population exposure to adverse air quality impact by using air quality and population data by census tracts. Our research complements the EPA guidelines in that it demonstrates the ability to determine population exposure to air pollution through computer processing that utilizes Landsat satellite-derived land use information. Three variables-a 1985 estimate of total suspended particulates for 2-km2 grid cells, Landsat-derived residential land cover data for 0.45-ha cells, and population totals for census tracts-were spatially registered and cross-tabulated to produce tabular and map products illustrating relative air quality exposure for residential population by 2-km2 cells. It would cost $20,000 to replicate our analysis for an area similar in size to the 4000-km2 Portland area. Once completed, the spatially fine, computer-compatible air quality and population data are amenable to the timely and efficient generation of population-at-risk tabular and map information on a continuous or periodic basis.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Satellite-aided evaluation of population exposure to air pollution
Series title Environmental Science & Technology
DOI 10.1021/es60156a014
Volume 13
Issue 8
Year Published 1979
Language English
Publisher American Chemical Society
Publisher location Easton, PA
Contributing office(s) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
Description 5 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Environmental Science and Technology
First page 970
Last page 974
Country United States
State Oregon
City Portland
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