AIRNow Information Services Improved Data Flow to the Air Quality Community

1. AIRNow Information ServicesImproved Data Flow to the Air Quality Community John E. WhiteU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyNational Air Quality ConferenceConnecting the Air Quality Community – Working Towards Better Data Access and SharingMarch 3rd, 2009

2. AIRNow Information Services • Outline • How does AIRNow currently provide information? • AIRNow-Tech • AIRNow Gateway • MapGen maps • The Future – Upcoming changes • Web Services • KMZ (e.g., Google Earth) • ESRI files • RSS messaging • More files including NETCDF • Some Tangible Examples... • Excel/Google Docs • RSS • Google Earth

3. How AIRNow Delivers Info Today… • Present AIRNow System developed in 2001 • AIRNow-Tech • Web-Based Access to the Data Management System • Pre-defined Queries, graphing, csv downloads • Flexibility/scope is still limited • AIRNow Gateway • Provide one-stop AIRNow information portal • Not there yet • Multiple ASCII files • Only one web service • Maps (using MapGen software) very limited • No way to share geospatial information • OBS file • Limited, not the best source of information

4. The Future-AIRNow Information Services • Ground-up redesign of the U.S. AIRNow system now underway • Microsoft SQL Server • New GIS-based Mapping System (AIRNow Mapper) • Geospatial, World-wide mapping capability • Map other datasets (e.g., multiple pollutants, aq model outputs) • Data fusion possible • Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach • Outputs: RSS, KML, NETCDF, SMS text • Inputs: web service feeds from outside datasets… • Data loggers in the future? • Built with open components/standards • Easily adopted by any state/local agency, country, or province • Portable, flexible, and sustainable • Opportunity for leveraging tools and expertise

5. AIRNow Information Services • Share and distribute data • Using data standards • data ingest, data distribution, and sharing • Conform to interoperability standards and conventions being developed under: • Group on Earth Observations • World Meteorological Organization • Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) • Provides flexibility to add new data outputs • Provides ability to control data distribution and sharing

6. Data Files* Data Files Maps* Image layers* = file = web service = module = data/info transfer New AIRNow System(Conceptual and Functional Design & Data Flow) Data Inputs Processing, QA, Reporting Outputs Administration of the System AIRNow Information Service AIRNow Data Management System (DMS) AIRNow Mapper Web Services* Web Service AIRNow Database *Outputs will conform to standards to promote sharing and interoperability

7. AIRNow Information Services Concept Other Data Providers United States AIRNow Other Data Consumers Web Services State Agencies Other Nations = monitoring site = data transfer = web service

8. Mapper Outputs – KML Web Coverage Service – Point: KML Output AIRNow Information Service Outputs • More files • Comma Separated Value (CSV) • NetCDF • ESRI files • RSS • OGC web services • Web Mapping Service • Web Feature Service • Web Coverage Service • Google Earth (KML) files

9. Using AIRNow Information Services • Expanded AIRNow Gateway Text Files • AQCSV format • used to exchange via XML between AIRNow and AQS Data Mart • Future OBS file replacement? • NetCDF • Climatology, modeling and meteorology applications • GIS • ESRI files • Could provide agencies with shapefiles/gridded data

10. Using AIRNow Information Services • What is RSS? • Getting fresh updated information to your web browser • Just subscribe or unsubscribe – no email required • Typical examples - weather, stock quotes, news, sports • How can RSS be used by S/L agencies? • No firewall issues • Populate your agency web pages with updated continuous content • forecasts and current conditions • A data feed for your internal applications • How does your public use RSS? • Filter out air quality information for their city • Make widgets, customize home pages • Data feed for value-added applications

11. RSS AIRNow Gateway Feeds RSS Feeds

12. Using AIRNow Information Services • Web Services • Allows applications to communicate with one another in a standard way • Like a conversation involving two or more people talking to each other, using some kind of language that they all comprehend • Only data transmitted across the Internet , no additional security risk • No visual interface (text boxes, radio buttons, etc.) • getStockValue(“IBM”) or getCurrentTemp(“Denver”) • Examples • Web Mapping Service • Custom/dynamic maps created at user request (PNG, GIF or JPEG) • Web Feature Service • Returns vector data • Web Coverage Service • Returns gridded data • How can our air quality community use? • Excel spreadsheets • Google docs

13. Web Service Data Request What is the best way to explain this slide -- ? – esp google docs and applications – examples? AIRNow Database AIRNow web service Google Documents Applications =ImportData("http://staging.sonomatech.com/wcs/wcs.asmx/wcs?service=wcs&Request=GetCoverage&identifier=timepoint&saqscode=" SITE "&uParamID=" PARAMETER "&begin_timesequence=" BEGIN DATE/TIME "&end_timesequence=" END DATE/TIME"&format=csv&uResultBy=0")

14. Web Service Data Request

15. Using AIRNow Information Services • KML – Google Earth? • Update file versus dynamically created web coverage service • Open source – lots of applications can use • Easy to develop • Don’t have to build web based GIS system to visualize data • How can I use? • some examples…

16. Google Map Examples Ohio California