For decades the program staff of many air pollution agencies have produced aerometric (air quality and meteorological) maps for internal use and some have developed automated Aerometric Data Mapping Systems (ADMS). More recently, software and standards have become available that allow for the animation of aerometric data. However, ADMS have been limited in utility because they do not incorporate information from nearby agencies. They also do not have the capability of producing these aerometric data maps in a form that can be readily disseminated to the public.
Because ground level ozone is a significant air quality problem in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and because ozone measurements are available at temporal and spatial resolutions suitable for mapping, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), Mid-Atlantic Region Air Managers Association (MARAMA) and the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC) proposed the development of a regional Ozone Mapping System that automatically transfers data to a central location, performs data conversion, quality control and long-term storage operations, and generates still-frame and animated ozone maps for use by states, television stations and others.
An Ozone Mapping System was developed during the spring of 1997 and successfully implemented during the summer of 1997 for 21 agencies in 14 states. During the summer of 1998 the system is being expanded to cover 22 states with more than 400 sites reporting data in near real-time. The system includes software for automatic data transfer of environmental data via the Internet and map generation. This paper describes the system design and implementation issues. Example maps are presented. System performance and future directions are discussed.