Topics covered in this talk Topics covered in this talk

Introduction.Introduction.Developing the Web Site.Developing the Web Site.Air Quality Monitoring and QA/QC.Air Quality Monitoring and QA/QC.Trends Analysis and Mapping Air Quality in Scotland.Trends Analysis and Mapping Air Quality in Scotland.

Context – The Scottish AQ Website will part of a Context – The Scottish AQ Website will part of a family of UK on-line resources…family of UK on-line resources…

The UK website

The Welsh website

The NI website

Variety of tasks involved- air quality science, IT, database and web development

Diversity of policy drivers and objectives

Wide range of data users and air quality stakeholders

This Scottish website This Scottish website project will be project will be

characterised by:characterised by:

1. Designing and populating a pilot air quality database for Scotland

2. Assessing the quality, variety and compatibility of air quality data collected across Scotland

3. Trialling Web Logger technology at six suitable local authority sites.

4. Liaising with stakeholders and gaining their views on requirements of the database

5. Developing tools to map air quality across Scotland and ensuring trends are accessible from the air quality archive

6. To be creative in designing a website which enables easy access to air quality data for a wide variety of potential users

Project TasksProject Tasks

Scottish air quality Scottish air quality stakeholders and stakeholders and data usersdata users

Some of these…Some of these…– Scottish Executive (policy Scottish Executive (policy

development and monitoring)development and monitoring)– SEPA (Regulatory)SEPA (Regulatory)– Local government (planning, Local government (planning,

LAQM, review and assessment, LAQM, review and assessment, Action Plans)Action Plans)

– Air Quality Scientists (research)Air Quality Scientists (research)– Doctors and epidemiologists Doctors and epidemiologists

(health impact assessment)(health impact assessment)– The European Commission The European Commission

(statutory/compliance reporting)(statutory/compliance reporting)– The general public (welfare, social The general public (welfare, social

amenity, responsible behavioural amenity, responsible behavioural change)change)

– Students/educational communityStudents/educational community– NGOs and special interest groupsNGOs and special interest groups

Each requires rapid and efficient Each requires rapid and efficient access to data and information in access to data and information in formats meeting their needs…formats meeting their needs…

That’s one of the reasons That’s one of the reasons why consultation is so why consultation is so important…important…

This is a pilot website, and this This is a pilot website, and this meeting is an important stage in the meeting is an important stage in the process of ensuring all users and process of ensuring all users and stakeholders get what they want stakeholders get what they want through. Other stages will include…through. Other stages will include…

Pre-assessment by Pre-assessment by stakeholders when URL first stakeholders when URL first activated (password protected)activated (password protected)

Feedback on questionnaire Feedback on questionnaire placed on live website (used for placed on live website (used for other Government/DA sites)other Government/DA sites)

Seminar in Sept 2006 to Seminar in Sept 2006 to present findings of pilot study present findings of pilot study

Current and historic hourly PM10,Current and historic hourly PM10,

NO2,CO, SO2, 03, VOC data from NO2,CO, SO2, 03, VOC data from automatic air quality monitoring stations automatic air quality monitoring stations (currently 13 AURN/ HC and 19 Local (currently 13 AURN/ HC and 19 Local Authority/Calibration Club) Authority/Calibration Club) collected collected automatically by telemetryautomatically by telemetry

For six automatic sites, the Web logger For six automatic sites, the Web logger system is being trialledsystem is being trialled

Daily or monthly data from several Daily or monthly data from several hundred sampler monitoring stations hundred sampler monitoring stations (NO2, SO2, 03 diffusion tube, HC (NO2, SO2, 03 diffusion tube, HC samplers, Smoke/SO2 bubblers etc) samplers, Smoke/SO2 bubblers etc) collected mainly by email/web formcollected mainly by email/web form

Plus lots more cool stuff including derived Plus lots more cool stuff including derived AQ analyses and information, forecasts, AQ analyses and information, forecasts, monitoring information, links and so onmonitoring information, links and so on

More on this later in the talk..More on this later in the talk..

So, what’s going to So, what’s going to be in the Database be in the Database

and website?and website?

Demonstration of web Demonstration of web services and resourcesservices and resources

1) Preview screenshots of work under development for the Scottish Website

2) A review of the existing Welsh website

HomeHome

Graphed Graphed datadata

MonitoringMonitoring infoinfoDownload Download datadata

ForecastsForecasts

Air QualityAir Quality info info

ReportsReports

LinksLinks

WAQF areaWAQF area

More…More…

Key Welsh Key Welsh web web resourcesresources

Project Aims related to Monitoring and QA/QCProject Aims related to Monitoring and QA/QC

Project AimProject AimTo assess the quality and variety To assess the quality and variety of air quality data collected across of air quality data collected across Scotland and evaluate its Scotland and evaluate its compatibilitycompatibility

Technical RequirementsTechnical Requirements

To explore options for an automatic To explore options for an automatic interrogation systems for collecting non-interrogation systems for collecting non-continuous air quality monitoring data from continuous air quality monitoring data from selected Scottish local authoritiesselected Scottish local authorities

To provide QA and QC procedures for To provide QA and QC procedures for capturing and handling air quality data and capturing and handling air quality data and advising local authorities and others on these advising local authorities and others on these issues issues

UK Network Sites in ScotlandUK Network Sites in Scotland

Network Auto/Sampler

No. sites

Automatic Urban and Rural (AURN) A 12

Non Auto smoke/SO2 and NO2 S 14 (S)121 (N)

Rural Acid Deposition and SO2 S 11

Automatic Hydrocarbon A 1

PAH S 3

Heavy Metals S 3

Rural Metal Deposition S 2

Non – Auto Benzene and Butadiene S 2

Ammonia S 26

Nitric Acid S 4

Local Authority Automatic Sites:Local Authority Automatic Sites: Results of Scottish Executive Questionnaire in 2005Results of Scottish Executive Questionnaire in 2005

3232 Scottish Local Authorities Scottish Local Authorities

13 13 no replyno reply

88 no automatic monitoring no automatic monitoring

1919 LA automatic sites in 8 LAs LA automatic sites in 8 LAs

150150 NO NO22 diffusion tubes – diffusion tubes – probably lots moreprobably lots more

We will be contacting Local Authorities to update the We will be contacting Local Authorities to update the data as part of the Database Projectdata as part of the Database Project

The whole process- The whole process- turning turning air quality data into informationair quality data into information

Reliable Database

Raw Data

Information

Use

Step 1: Measurement- collect data

Step 2: QA/QC- data validation

Step 3: Analysis & interpretation

Step 4: Reporting & dissemination

Overall aim of National QA/QCOverall aim of National QA/QCNetwork Aims & Objectives:Network Aims & Objectives:

Meeting statutory Meeting statutory requirements (eg EC requirements (eg EC Directives)Directives)Informing the public about Informing the public about air quality air quality Providing information for Providing information for local air quality review and local air quality review and assessmentassessmentIdentifying long term trendsIdentifying long term trendsAssessment of policy Assessment of policy effectivenesseffectiveness

Provisional and Provisional and Ratified dataRatified data

Provisional data

available every hour

based on last manual calibration

data screened by software

Ratified data

available after 3-months

additional manual checking and ratification

fully quality assured and quality controlled

Data RatificationData Ratification

Raw 15 min data Ratified hourly data

Non - automatic dataNon - automatic data

We will use We will use innovative web forms innovative web forms to collect the datato collect the dataFirst used for Welsh First used for Welsh archivearchiveTo be used UK-wideTo be used UK-wideImprove efficiency, Improve efficiency, speed and reliability speed and reliability of capture processof capture processAlso makes life easier Also makes life easier easier for data easier for data providers!providers!

Introduction to Introduction to mapping and trendsmapping and trends

This work has been commissioned by the Scottish Executive – Why?UK Trends and maps may not be accurate for Scotland.Citizens and policy-makers in Scotland need to know:– Is air quality improving?Is air quality improving?– Which areas are the worst?Which areas are the worst?

Air Quality Trends Air Quality Trends Analysis for ScotlandAnalysis for Scotland

Trends Analysis – What is it?Trends Analysis – What is it?

Short-term trends over a period of Short-term trends over a period of hours, weeks or months.hours, weeks or months.

Long-term trends over many years.Long-term trends over many years.

Individual sites or the average from a Individual sites or the average from a “basket” of selected sites.“basket” of selected sites.

Advanced GraphingAdvanced Graphing

The Pilot Scottish database will provide pre-prepared neat time-series graphs of all pollutants at each site for one week or one month.

Other selectable graphs could be provided on line in the future - including:

Timeseries.Diurnal.Frequency Distribution.Trends.Regressions.

Key Air Quality Key Air Quality IndicatorsIndicators

These are based on long-term These are based on long-term trends.trends.They are critical for:They are critical for:– Informing the public about how air Informing the public about how air

quality is changing.quality is changing.– Understanding the impact of emissions, Understanding the impact of emissions,

weather and policies.weather and policies.

As part of this project, we will be As part of this project, we will be looking specifically at developing air looking specifically at developing air quality indicators for Scotland.quality indicators for Scotland.

How…How…

Calculate “Headline Indicator” of number of Moderate or worse air pollution episodes using AURN sites in Scotland + any other long-term data available– 75% Minimum Annual Data

Capture.– Calculate for Rural and Urban

locations.

Examine long-term trends from:– NO2 diffusion tube monitoring

(Background and Roadside).

– Automatic NO2 and PM10 monitors.

Careful review will be required to determine whether the number of sites is sufficient to determine a robust trend.

Examples- Recently Calculated for Northern IrelandExamples- Recently Calculated for Northern Ireland

Headline Indicator.Headline Indicator.

Annual trends:Annual trends:– Diffusion Tubes.Diffusion Tubes.

– Automatic NOAutomatic NO22..

– Automatic PMAutomatic PM1010..

Some sites may be included despite low data capture Some sites may be included despite low data capture if it preserves the trend. Expert judgement will need if it preserves the trend. Expert judgement will need to be taken in these cases.to be taken in these cases.

– Ozone?Ozone?

Mapping Air Quality in Mapping Air Quality in Scotland Scotland

Examples of UK mapped Examples of UK mapped data on-linedata on-line

Modelled background concentration maps.

Downloadable grid data.

Compiled emissions inventory maps.

Data by postcode

Background Air Background Air Quality MapsQuality Maps

These are derived by Netcen from These are derived by Netcen from emissions data and monitoring results.emissions data and monitoring results.They are key for:They are key for:– Clearly showing the spatial distribution of Clearly showing the spatial distribution of

pollutants across large areas.pollutants across large areas.– Review and Assessment. An accurate Review and Assessment. An accurate

background is essential.background is essential.

As part of this project, we will be looking As part of this project, we will be looking specifically at developing the specifically at developing the background air quality maps for background air quality maps for Scotland.Scotland.

How will we do this?How will we do this?

The work will be in two stages.– The existing Scottish data

from the UK mapping will be validated solely against Scottish Monitoring Data to see how well it fits.

– A new improved mapping kernel will be developed for Scotland from the Pilot Study Database.

Stage 1Stage 1

Extract background Extract background data for relevant data for relevant grid squares in grid squares in Scotland.Scotland.

Compare with Compare with measured data in measured data in the database by the database by use of linear use of linear regressionregression..

Assess accuracy Assess accuracy and likely sources and likely sources of error.of error.

Report.Report.

Stage 2

Develop a new mapping Develop a new mapping kernel based on Scottish kernel based on Scottish monitoring data only.monitoring data only.This will be the This will be the first timefirst time this has been done for this has been done for the Devolved the Devolved Administrations.Administrations.Better Maps - more Better Maps - more monitoring and an monitoring and an improved emissions improved emissions inventory in future.inventory in future.

Thank you-Thank you-any questions?any questions?