An approach to finding sources of pollution to maintain stable air quality

Preparation of control actions carried out at various levels to maintain a stable quality of atmospheric air includes measures to identify pollution sources and assess their cumulative impact on atmospheric air quality. We propose an approach to searching for air pollution sources based on continuous observations in a unified environmental monitoring system. The method includes primary processing, storage, and referencing large amounts of measurement information to a time grid. The process provides a more accurate binding of the measurement information to a moment in time and a point in space to provide additional filtering of data and a compact form of storage of measurement information. The proposed approach includes methods for analyzing the accumulated measurement information, making it possible to identify individual terrain areas with potential pollution sources. Data from atmospheric air quality and meteorological parameters from various terrain points, integrated into a unified environmental monitoring system, are used as the initial data. We have developed a software and hardware complex, which forms the basis of environmental monitoring systems operating in several departments and enterprises of the Russian Federation. The proposed solutions are scaled by adding additional nodes and levels. The regional network integrates already existing local systems. The approach's novelty lies in binding the measurement information to the time grid to store the data and its analysis approach. Managers could search for potential sources of pollution more effectively to further assess their cumulative impact on atmospheric air quality and determine the effects of reducing this impact on acceptable values. Copyright 2021 (C) The Authors.