PULLMAN, Wash. – In the midst of an extreme fire season, researchers from the Washington State University Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (LAR) are helping state and federal agencies make better predictions of air quality in the Northwest.
LAR researchers developed the first high-resolution, Web-based air quality forecast system in the country. The system, called AIRPACT, or Air Indicator Report for Public Awareness and Community Tracking, is run year-round on a daily basis in the Northwest.
It uses numerical weather forecasts and pollution emission data to predict the concentration of ozone, particulates and other pollutants as they are emitted, transformed, removed and transported across the region.
The AIRPACT-3 system is receiving wildfire data from satellites and is producing air quality forecasts nightly. In particular, the system models small particulate matter under 2.5 micrometers in size, which is indicative of wildfire smoke.
The results, which are provided at http://lar.wsu.edu/airpact, illustrate how the emissions modeled for today, along with the carry-over of smoke from the previous day, are affecting the region’s air quality.
Contact:
Tina Hilding, WSU College of Engineering and Architecture, 509-335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu