No Breathing Easy for City Dwellers: Nitrogen Dioxide - Susan Anenberg (NASA Image of the Day)
NASA-funded scientists have, for the first time, connected health outcomes in cities around the world to satellite and ground-based data on air pollution. The researchers concluded that despite improvements in some parts of the world and for certain pollutants, air quality continues to be an important contributor to disease.
HAQAST Work Featured on NASA Health and Air Quality Webpage
The NASA Health & Air Quality program area provides policymakers with Earth observations to enhance decision-making about public health, and HAQAST is an integral part of this mission. We provide managers and policymakers with Earth observations that inform decisions about air quality standards, public policies and government regulations for economic and human welfare.
No Breathing Easy for City Dwellers: Particulates - Susan Anenberg (NASA Image of the Day)
Air pollution is the fourth leading risk factor for death around the world. But one type of pollutant is particularly harmful: fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These small, inhalable particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) result from direct emissions into the air, as well as interactions among other pollutants.
City Health Dashboard adds ozone data, with help from HAQAST PI Daniel Tong
Starting today, users can now access two new measures: Air Pollution-Ozone and the Credit Insecurity Index. Adding these particular metrics is part of our ongoing mission at the Dashboard to develop more innovative and timely data sources and methods that seek to better demonstrate how physical, economic and social determinants impact health, particularly in cities.
HAQAST Work Featured on NASA Health and Air Quality Webpage
The NASA Health & Air Quality program area provides policymakers with Earth observations to enhance decision-making about public health, and HAQAST is an integral part of this mission. We provide managers and policymakers with Earth observations that inform decisions about air quality standards, public policies and government regulations for economic and human welfare.
NASA Smoke Signals for Air Quality - Susan O'Neill Highlighted
Susan O’Neill and her team developed a set of data tools as part of NASA’s 2017 California Wildfires Tiger Team which has reshaped the way scientists observe smoke from wildfires.
Gaige Kerr and Susan Anenberg Address Disparity of Clean Air in Marginalized Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep-seated inequities in everything from safe working conditions and affordable health care to kids’ access to the internet for school. It also highlighted another alarming disparity that isn’t visible to the naked eye: access to clean air.
Tracey Holloway Highlighted by UW News
The University of Wisconsin – Madison highlights HAQAST Team Lead Tracey Holloway's efforts to bring space-based data to the world.
HAQAST Helping the World to Breathe More Easily
HAQAST, along with NASA's Health and Air Quality Program, is helping to lead the charge for global air quality.
Hess & Lo's Pollen Forecasts Featured on Seattle News
Fiona Lo explains her work with Jeremy Hess using satellite data to forecast pollen season on Seattle TV news.
Anenberg & Duncan Help Create Video, ClimateBits: Unhealthy Air
This video explains how PM2.5 affects the health of people and is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide.
DustWatch App Gives Early Warning Notifications for Dust Storms
Developed by a team of high school students, DustWatch App notifies users of dust storms and provides a wealth of educational materials and useful data. Available free for iOS on the App Store.
NY Times Highlights Duncan & West's Work
The New York Times drew on Bryan Duncan and Jason West's Tiger Team work estimating health benefits of cleaner air in the US from 1990 to 2010.
Zondlo Shows How Agriculture Breathes
Mark Zondlo's work on the seasonal rhythm of NH3 profiled by NASA's Image of the Day.
Zondlo and the Hawaiian Volcanoes
Mark Zondlo's work documenting the impacts of the Kilauea eruptions on air quality
HAQAST’s Work Included in the 2018 EPA Air Trends Report
Our team’s work, especially that of Bryan Duncan, is included the the 2018 EPA Air Trends Report. New this year are animations of SO2 from satellite data.
COVID-19 Lockdown Study by Randall Martin Published in Nature
New modelling method allows researchers to measure levels of NO2 on a finer scale, revealing disparities in exposure during COVID.
Susan Anenberg, Pat Kinney, and Randall Martin Highlighted - NASA Image of the Day
Like many cities in the eastern United States, Washington, D.C., has seen major improvements in air quality in recent decades. Susan Anenberg, Pat Kinney, and Randall Martin have been able to shed light on these improvements and bring attention to their impact on health problems.
HAQAST Announces Five Innovative Tiger Teams
In the 1960’s, NASA began using the term “Tiger Teams” for small, determined teams of experts to help solve complex problems. The tradition continues today, with the announcement of the third generation of Tiger Teams within the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team.
Jeff Pierce and Team Featured by Colorado State University
Need for better air quality monitoring is promoted by HAQAST Member Jeff Pierce and his team to inform Colorado residents about health impacts of long-range wildfire smoke.
Mao and Team Profiled by the University of Alaska
HAQAST Member Jingqiu Mao and colleagues will connect satellite data with health and air quality to support the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and others.
Duncan contributes to study linking COVID and reduced NO2
Though further studies are needed, it appears that NO2 for March, 2020, is 30% lower than the 5-year March average, suggest new NASA research.
Fiore Finds Lower Air Pollution in New York State is Saving Lives
Columbia University highlights Arlene Fiore's study on how reduced PM2.5 in New York State led to a decrease in mortality between 2002 and 2012.
Hess's Work Helps Scientists Track Allergy Season
Jeremy Hess's work on pollen and allergies profiled by EOS.
Asthma's Global Health Burden
Susan Anenberg's work was recently profiled by NASA for its cutting-edge application of satellite data to asthma and global health.
HOLLOWAY INTERVIEWED FOR ‘WOMEN BREAKING BARRIERS’ SERIES
Tracey Holloway was interviewed for OnlineEdcuation.com’s Women Breaking Barriers series. This series highlights many women that are trailblazers in their respective fields.
NASA Worldview Video Tutorial Now Available
Watch HAQAST's NASA Worldview video tutorial, produced by the NASA HAQAST Communications Team
NASA Giovanni Video Tutorial Now Available
Watch HAQAST's NASA Giovanni video tutorial, produced by the NASA HAQAST Communications Team
Investigation of Wildfire Smoke by Jeffrey Pierce Highlighted by Eos
Knowledge of wildfire smoke impacts is critical for researchers and public health experts going forward, as climate change continues to produce a warmer, drier western United States and the fire season is expected to become only longer and more intense. To fill this gap, Jeffrey Pierce and his team looked at smoke exposure across seasons and regions in the United States between 2006 and 2018.
Work by Yang Liu Featured in Lancet Countdown Policy Brief
This fifth annual Policy Brief is supported by a diverse group of health experts from over 70 institutions, organizations, and centers who recognize that climate change is first and foremost a health crisis. It uses recent scientific studies to expose the inequitable health risks of climate change, including work by Yang Liu.
HAQAST Featured by NASA Applied Sciences
NASA Applied Sciences introduces the third installment of the Health and Air Quality Applied Science Team, which includes 14 principal investigators and a push to answer complex environmental problems.
Tong Promotes Satellite Data Within the COVID-19 Pandemic
Several obstacles stand in the way of integrating social, health, and Earth science data for vital geohealth studies, but Tong and his team promote tools and opportunities to overcome these obstacles.
Final Report for HAQAST 2016-2020 Released
5 years of HAQAST successes are culminated in this final report, with in-depth analysis of stakeholder growth, lessons learned, and next steps for the future.
Tong Profiled for National Public Health Week
Part of the HAQAST mandate is to build bridges between the air quality and public health communities. A host of NASA Earth researchers, including our own Daniel Tong, are doing just that.
Jin & Fiore's Research on Health Co-Benefits Widely Covered
Xiaomeng Jin and Arlene Fiore’s research on the public health benefits of reduced PM 2.5 exposure in New York State has been covered by media outlets in the US and internationally.
Tong Comments on Massive Dust Storms
Daniel Tong's commentary on the health impacts of massive dust storms in Arizona featured in Sierra magazine.
Human Impact of Clean Air Policies
Jason West and Susan Anenburg's work was recently profiled by NASA for their efforts to help air quality managers and policymakers solve clean air problems using NASA data and products.
Collaborator Patz and PI West Comment on Climate Change and Public Health in China
Patz and West's commentary, titled 'The Paris Agreement Could Save Lives in China,' was published in The Lancet
Susan O'Neill produced a video presentation outlining smoke tools and information for use during wildfires
Watch O'Neill's video on tools and information for use during wildfires
West Featured in UNC podcast: Climate change and air pollution
'Each year, millions of people die from exposure to air pollution. And if unaddressed, climate change could bring those numbers up even higher by the end of the century.'
MILLER PUBLISHED A PIECE IN PHYSICS TODAY PROFILING HAQAST
'“Out of sight, out of mind” goes the common saying, yet what people can’t see can have an important impact on their well-being. Invisible gases including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone negatively affect human health, and satellites offer the best means of tracking those atmospheric pollutants.'
West Co-Authors Widely Featured paper on the benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation for U.S. air quality and human health
'The USA will benefit from improved air quality in the future, through actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions both domestically and globally.'
ZONDLO’S RESEARCH GROUP AT PRINCETON DEVELOPS A MOBILE SENSING PLATFORM FOR AIR POLLUTANTS
'Mark Zondlo and his research group have developed a mobile platform to measure critical greenhouse gases and air pollutants. They recently acquired an all-electric vehicle to house the suite of sensors, which they can use to monitor urban air quality, without altering their own measurements.'
Fiore and Jin's Research Featured as NASA Image of the Day
'Ozone pollution near Earth’s surface is one of the main ingredients of summertime smog and a primary cause of poor air quality. Yet it is not directly measurable from space because of the abundance of ozone higher in the atmosphere, which obscures measurements of surface ozone. Now NASA-funded researchers have devised a way to use satellites to measure the precursor gases that contribute to ozone formation.'
Pierce Connects to Stakeholders
'PI Brad Pierce gave a briefing on the 2017 Lake Michigan Ozone Study to the Business Advocacy Committee of the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on April 7, 2017.'
WEST CO-AUTHORS WIDELY FEATURED PAPER ON AIR POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE
'New research predicts that air pollution worsened by climate change will cost tens of thousands of lives if changes are not made.'
TONG'S STUDY ON DUST STORMS AND VALLEY FEVER FEATURED WIDELY
'Giant dust storms are sweeping the southwestern United States more frequently. Why? Rising sea temperatures, according to a study published in the journal of Geophysical Research Letters.'
NASA PROFILES PIERCE’S WORK ON HIGH-OZONE EVENTS
'NASA researchers are conducting science flights along the Wisconsin-Illinois Lake Michigan shoreline to help better understand the formation and transport of ozone, a potent air pollutant in the region.'
ANENBERG AND HENZE’S ARTICLE ON HEALTH IMPACTS IS FEATURED INTERNATIONALLY
'Diesels pollute more than lab tests detect. Excess emissions kill 38,000 annually.'
Fiore was interviewed for NPR’s All Things Considered
'The Culprit In Rising Western U.S. Smog Levels: Asia'
Holloway discusses Pollution on Scientific American
'As Temperatures Rise, Energy Demands Peak, with a Corresponding Increase in Air Pollutants'
Lake Michigan Ozone Study 2017 Story on WPR Blog
'A Wisconsin Public Radio interview of some the 2017 Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS 2017) science leads aired on June 22, 2017, which was also that last day of the LMOS 2017 field campaign.'
Pierce Interviewed On WPR
'HAQAST Co-I Brad Pierce was invited to an on-air interview at the Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) studios in Madison, Wisconsin on August 10, 2017 to discuss the 2017 Lake Michigan Ozone Study (LMOS 2017) with the hosts of WPRs Central Times.'
SOS NO2 Dataset Video
'A 10-year (2006-2016) high-resolution (0.1x0.1 degree) monthly mean tropospheric NO2 column data set generated by the NASA OMI Science Team for NO2 was developed for display on NOAA Science On a Sphere (SOS) exhibits.'
Lake Michigan Ozone Study 2017: Collaborative field campaign will pursue sources and transport of ozone.
'This online article was published in July, 2016, nearly a year before the NEI NOX project commenced, in the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) News Articles.'
LMOS Project Featured in SSEC Biannual Publication
'This project was featured in the UW-Madison Space Science and Engineering (SSEC) "Through the Atmosphere" summer 2017 publication in print and online.'
Meet the Lake Michigan Ozone Study Scientists
'Dr. Betsy Stone compiled a presentation introducing the contributors to the summer 2017 LMOS data collection part of Pierce's work on high-ozone events.'
Henze connects air quality research to local and global impacts
'Targeting Cookstove Pollution Using Supercomputers and NASA Satellites'
HAQAST Leader, Holloway quoted in NBC News article
'11 Surprising Predictions for 2017 from some of The Biggest Names in Science'
The Guardian covers research on air pollution and premature birth
'Air pollution could be a contributing factor in millions of premature births around the world each year'
Update from our Program Manager
'HAQAST has expanded its focus beyond just air quality policy and regulation information utilizing Earth observationing data to the environmental health realm'
West quoted from UNC communications
“I am excited by this opportunity, not only to conduct studies that will have an influence on environmental and public health policies, but also to better understand how to improve engagement with decision makers in future projects.”
HAQAST is featured in Isthmus article
'HAQAST is making NASA satellite data useful in monitoring air quality and pollution'