Multidisciplinary data and model fusion: A key to integrated air quality assessment

Integrated air quality management requires considering many information classes simultaneously, including environmental quality data, health impact pathway models, economic analyses, the respective regulatory framework, and the priorities of the concerned stakeholders. Integrated air pollution assessment in particular includes accurate representation of the pollution distribution in time and space, identification of the main emission sources, and evaluation of the possible alternatives for coping with the observed environmental burden. The current state of the art in air quality assessment, monitoring and management comprises analytical measurements and atmospheric transport modeling. Earth observation from satellites may provide an additional information layer through the calculation of synoptic air pollution indicators, such as the tropospheric aerosol optical thickness. This paper outlines a paradigm for efficient data and model fusion for the integrated assessment of the health impact due to airborne chemicals. The information management techniques employed and the problems due to the multidisciplinary nature of the phenomena analyzed are highlighted. Selected examples from using this methodology for the assessment of air quality in the European Union are given.