Air quality forecasting models for Delhi and the rest of India have improved according to the Indian Meteorological Department, leading to better forecasts this year and the identification of air pollution hot spots.
The October 15 forecast for India shows PM 2.5 concentrations ranging from 100 to 200 micrograms per cubic meter. The 24-hour safe standard for PM 2.5 is 60 micrograms per cubic meter.
When it comes to PM 2.5 concentrations in Delhi, the entire city appears to be affected by concentrations of more than 200 micrograms per cubic meter according to IMD’s ENFUSER model.
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The Air Quality Forecast Model System for Integrated Atmospheric Composition Modeling (SILAM) for India has been enhanced by implementing global fine and coarse particulate emissions inventories at 10 km resolution. “Before we had a resolution of 50 km. In addition, we have also added coverage and land use data to get a better forecast, ”explained Vijay Soni, a scientist in the air pollution division of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
A very high resolution city-scale model has been put in place for Delhi to identify air pollution hotspots and street-level pollution. The model uses observations of air quality, road networks, buildings, land use information, high resolution satellite maps, population data, etc. to generate forecasts. The results are being evaluated to capture the pollution hot spots in Delhi, Soni said.
PM2.5 concentration in the country. (Originally)
Now the air quality alert system will also provide forecasts for Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi with a resolution of 2 km. “For the Delhi model, we used real-time air quality data from ground monitors, traffic congestion data, road network data, and so on. to identify hot spots. We can also share this information in our newsletters ”, he added.
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