Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
addition, the Atmo index only corresponds to the most concentrated pollutant that
can be found in the surrounding air. The Atmo index also does not consider the
quantity of other pollutants or the influence that these other pollutants have on the
quality of the surrounding air.
This index, which can be used as a real communication tool, prevents
geographical information from producing accurate data on the actual pollutants
present in the air, which could lead to different studies being carried out.
In order to broadcast peak pollution levels effectively, it is necessary to
introduce prevention devices for those people who are sensitive to the different
pollutants found in the air. It is necessary to be able to predict pollution levels and
this is made possible by creating models that can be used for this purpose. As far as
global pollution is concerned, e.g. ozone, the prevention and removal of peak
pollution periods is difficult to carry out in the short term. As can be seen in the
example of the alert that was raised in Paris in October 1997 [MIE 00], there have
been so many changes in meteorological conditions are much more effective a
decrease in the amount of pollutants emitted on a local scale, this decrease would
still not have an effect on pollution levels on a global scale.
Deciding when such alerts should be raised nowadays relies on the effective
forecasting of peak pollution levels and, therefore, on the use of different types of
meteorological and chemical models used alongside other expert systems. Modeling
air quality is necessary and requires the use of spatial information. Territories, as
well as their geographical characteristics, contribute to providing lots of information
about air quality even over a short time
The information that is available, which relates to atmospheric pollution, has
become increasingly complex as time has gone by. The culture of secrecy is no
longer applied to today's society, and extensive media coverage of pollution levels
acts as an important link used to broadcast the nature of the atmospheric pollution
which concerns every body. Analyzing the different alerts carried out shows how
insufficient the different measurements that correspond to industrial pollution have
actually become. Now, it is not possible to reduce pollution monitoring to
comparing the measurements registered with limit values. It is no longer the
factories and the large cities that can be singled out for global pollution levels, but
global surroundings. Over time, measuring the amount of pollutants present in the
atmosphere has become more diverse, especially regarding discovering new
pollutants. In addition, there is also a greater density measurement points as they are
organized into different measurement networks. Each territory is not only an
monitoring subject, through administrative limits. Since the introduction of LAURE
back in 1996, there has been a more spatial vision as far as air quality is concerned
and this has been made possible thanks to the use of specific measurements that
focus on peak pollution periods. Geographical information is changing its focus at
the moment, and instead of focusing on time and peak pollution it is now starting to
focus on space and measurements.
