Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Interprofessional Center for Atmospheric Pollution (CITEPA
8
), which is based in
Paris, monitors and spatializes pollution emissions.
The creation of these land inventories relies on the use of a census created on an
annual basis or over a shorter period of time. This register is in an essential tool that
can be used to map and model the spatial distribution of emissions and pollution
levels.
Figure 6.3.
Example of a land inventory showing emissions of pollution in the French
region of Nord-Pas de Calais: NO
X
emissions produced by vehicles, for a grid
of 2×2 km² (traffic data 2002) Source: [MAR 04] (see color section)
6.3.2.
Air quality maps and models
There are many different ways in which air quality maps can be created. These
maps show the spatial variations of pollution levels for a particular area. They can
be created as the result of a simple process of interpolation, which is applied to data
that has been recorded by a dense measurement network. They can also be the result
of a more sophisticated interpolation process in which lots of data are integrated, or
they can be the result of an air quality model.
6.3.2.1.
Maps and air quality
The distribution of pollution between two measurement points does not only
depend on distance if there are other sources of pollution found between the two
points:
- the use of passive tubes (available at a moderate cost) leads to the creation of a
strong density of measurement points influenced by all sources of pollution that are
present in a particular area. When the area being studied is not very large, it is
possible to use traditional spatial interpolation methods, such as kriging, to create a
satisfactory representation of the spatial distribution of air pollution. The results
from these campaigns and these types of maps are available in numerous regions in
8 http://www.citepa.org/.
