DEHM/UBM/AirGIS: a GIS-based modelling system for estimation of traffic-related air quality and human exposure
DEHM/UBM/AirGIS is a human exposure modelling system for traffic air pollution. It was developed for application in Danish air pollution epidemiological studies, human exposure studies, as well as urban air quality assessment and management. It has been developed by the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark. The DEHM/UBM in the beginning of the name indicates that in the latest versions the modelling system is closely coupled to the regional DEHM model and the Urban Background Model (UBM), receiving background concentration data and meteorological data from those models.
One of the unique features of DEHM/UBM/AirGIS is that it is able to generate street configuration and traffic data for the OSPM model based on digital maps and national databases. This enables estimation of air quality levels at a large number of addresses in an automatic and effective way.
The modelling system was applied in a number of Danish epidemiological studies that involve exposure calculations at more than 200,000 addresses in Denmark or about one tenth of all addresses in Denmark. (Projekt AIRPOLIFE) The model system allows for exposure estimates at a high spatial resolution (address level) and a high time resolution (hour). The system integrates air pollution dispersion models, digital maps, national and local administrative databases, concentrations of air pollutants at regional, urban background and street level, meteorological data, and a Geographic Information System (GIS). The system uses the Danish Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM), digital maps on roads with traffic data, buildings with building height data and geocoded addresses of study subjects, and it applies ArcView 3.x.
A description of the further developments of the DEHM/UBM/AirGIS system during a recently finished PhD study and evaluation can be found under:
Khan, J, Kakosimos K.E., Raaschou-Nielsen, O, Brandt, J, Jensen, SS, Ellermann, T & Ketzel, M (2019), Development and performance evaluation of new AirGIS – A GIS based air pollution and human exposure modelling system', Atmospheric Environment, vol. 198, pp. 102-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.10.036
A digital map of air quality of annual concentrations of NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 in 2012 has for the first time been presented on the internet for all 2.4 million addresses in Denmark. The map is created using among others the DEHM/UBM/AirGIS system.
The link to the WebGIS map is: http://luftenpaadinvej.au.dk
A description of the data can be found under:
Jensen, S.S., Ketzel, M., Becker, T., Christensen, J.H., Brandt, J., Plejdrup, M., Winther, M., Nielsen, O.-K., Hertel, O., and Ellermann, T., 2016. Air Street Map – High Resolution Multi-scale Air Quality Modeling for All Addresses in Denmark. AMA Science – special issue on basis of COST TD1105 meeting in Prague 2016. DOI: 10.5162/6EuNetAir2016/04
