Air Quality Hazard Geographic Distribution in a Tropical Mountain Meteorology Scenery in the Andes. Case Study: El Valle de Aburrá, Medellín, Colombia

This simulation concentrates on the spatial distribution of air quality hazards in a tropical valley situated at the Andes in South America. Specifically, data presented in this study were gathered in a major metropolitan area with a population of 3.000.000 inhabitants inside Valle de Aburra ( Aburra Valley ), Colombia. Private modes of transportation are impacting the air quality conditions of Medellin 's metropolitan area. Air quality hazards are controlled by local mountain meteorology processes in the Andes: temperature inversions, katabatic winds and adiabiatic flows all through the year. Temperature and precipitation fields depend on valley topography. Consequently, a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was generated for Valle de Aburra, Medellin, Colombia, using the HidroSIG database for Colombia. An interoperability procedure in ArcGIS 9.x was executed to use REDAIRE databases. Air quality variables were gathered using the REDAIRE (Air Monitoring Network for Metropolitan Area of Aburra Valley, Colombia ); specifically, the Total Suspended Particulate Matter (PST) and SO2. Air quality affects human health, ecosystems health and water quality conditions. For this reason, geographic air quality spatial characterization in tropical valleys is an important endeavor to contribute to human health program planning. Specifically, air acidity might result in acid rain which affects water quality, human health and ecosystems health. A relative index to characterize possible impacts of air quality conditions will be useful for community decision making processes and environmental education strategies and programs. In places with higher precipitation fields and higher level of private modes of transportation are expected to have acidic processes, such as the southern part of Valle de Aburra. In places with higher temperature values and higher level of private modes of transportation are expected more low level ozone reactions which potentially can impact human health, such as the northern part of Valle de Aburra. The map attached represents natural hazards for air quality distribution in Valle de Aburra, Colombia . Higher values of the generated index (between 1 to 5) of this study represent the areas with the major potential impacts on air quality either by acid rain processes or high low level ozone concentrations due to precipitation and temperature fields. This research contributes to the community of Valle de Aburra in Colombia and worldwide urban communities to improve air quality conditions even thought there are physical mountain meteorological phenomena that constraints free air circulation which control air quality conditions. Local communities can reduce their use of private cars using alternative modes of transportation (i.e. biking, walking, using massive public modes of transportation like electric trains or aerial trams). Worldwide communities can put in practice modes of transportation that lead to improve air quality conditions in urban areas, and consequently mitigating long term human health impacts due to anthropogenic actions which lead air quality conditions that are constrained by local mountain meteorology processes such as in Valle de Aburra, Medellin, Colombia. Key words: Tropical Mountain Meteorology, Valle de Aburra, Medellin, Colombia, the Andes, Air Quality Hazards, GIS, HidroSIG, REDAIRE, Air Quality.