Remote Sensing Information Gateway

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Description

The Remote Sensing Information Gateway (RSIG) allows for quick and easy access to subsets of multi-terabyte environmental datasets pertaining to air quality, including satellite, modeled, and in-situ sensor data. RSIG can tap into a wide range of key environmental models and data, such as NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model output, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) biomass burning data, and ground station measurements from AIRNow and EPA’s Air Quality System (AQS). RSIG also enables users to integrate their selected datasets into a unified visualization.

RSIG renders each dataset and overlays them on a map of the selected region, automatically aligning information from various spatial and temporal scales into a unified visualization.

Questions this resource can help answer

What are spatial and temporal patterns in air quality from different air quality data sources?

How do I use this resource?

RSIG is an advanced tool that is intended to facilitate downloading and visualizing air quality data from multiple sources. You will need to download the appropriate version of the software. Within the software, you will need to select the data you wish to download and visualize (data tab). You can select from satellite, modeling, monitoring, and aircraft observations. You will need to select which model or monitor parameters you want to map, along with a date range. You then click “get data” to download from the source. You can display maps of individual hours or days, or click “play” under Timestep to see an animation over time. Data can be saved in a variety of formats in the “save” tab.

Pro tips

Some of the data links are not active. For example, RSIG is not able to pull PurpleAir data without a API key, which you have to obtain from PurpleAir and then modify the .ini file to add that key.

Resource information

Resource owner

Government

Format

Software

Backup URL

Update Frequency

Real-time

Geographic Coverage

Global, United States

Technical specifications

Methodology

Draws from multiple sources of air quality data including satellite, ground based monitors, aircraft observations, and modeling.

Sectors

Other Specifications

Requires knowledge of source air quality data, including parameter definitions, and temporal coverage.

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