Scientists from the Hanoi University of Engineering & Technology, a member school of Hanoi National University, have invented an air pollution warning system by using satellite images.

The APOM (air pollution management) system is a management software integrated with Google and run on apom.fimo.edu.vn. The program uses WebGIS database which can provide information of pollution levels, indices of dust pollution  and density of fine dust in the air in each area. The information  is shown on Vietnam’s map. 

By utilizing this technology on collecting and processing remote sensing satellite images, this is the first researching project in Vietnam that uses satellite imagery to raise the warnings of air pollution.

The system has several advantages. First,  by online working, it automatically collects and processes image data from remote sensing satellites MODIS Terra, Aqua MODIS and Suomi NPP VIIRS that made by NASA and the satellite receiving stations of UET installed by eOsphere Limited, UK.

Second, it calculates the PM2.5 parameters (concentration of dust with the size is less than 2,5 micrometers in the air) for the whole Vietnam territory, spatial images with  resolution of 10x10 km and  a frequency of 4 times/day (based on Terra/Aqua MODIS image processing) and 6x6 km at 2 times/day (based on NPP VIIRS image processing).

Third, it applies the formula of transformation from PM2.5 to air quality index (AQI) according to Vietnam standards and international standards. Through separating data for 63 provinces/cities, the system supplies an image source of PM2.5 dust, AQI for the whole Vietnam territory and all of provinces/cities from 2010 to present.

According to Dr Nguyen Thi Nhat Thanh, the head of the research team, in 2014, Hanoi National University developed a satellite video data receiving station to serve scientific research. 

She then thought of taking full advantage of the satellite images to analyze the concentration of dust in the air and display information on maps associated with warnings.

The information about dust pollution throughout the country has been provided from automatic monitoring systems located at  Hanoi, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Hue, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa. 

There is only one monitoring station on Nguyen Van Cu street, Long Bien district shows that Hanoi is a city has the highest air pollution level.

The problem of the monitoring stations is that they only show the pollution indices in the areas where the stations are located.
Source: 7/2016, VNN