airTEXT — Air Quality at a Glance
Editorial and science-communication work for Riga airTEXT, a public air-quality forecasting service that combined Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service data with local high-resolution modelling to help Riga residents understand and prepare for changing air quality.
Overview
Riga airTEXT is a free public service that provides air-quality forecasts for Riga, Latvia. It was designed to help residents and visitors understand local conditions and prepare for short periods of poor air quality.
The service brings together Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) information, satellite observations and high-resolution urban modelling. It delivers forecasts up to three days ahead through its website, mobile application, social channels and free SMS or email alerts.
I contributed editorial and science-communication work through Design & Data, supporting a clear public story about how atmospheric data can become useful, timely information for a city and its residents.
The challenge
Air pollution is both technical and personal.
The underlying science involves atmospheric chemistry, emissions, satellite observations, weather patterns, numerical forecasting and local dispersion models. But the people who need the information may simply want to know whether conditions will affect a journey, outdoor activity, child, respiratory illness or allergy symptoms.
The communication challenge was therefore to translate a complex technical system into a practical public-service question:
What will air quality be like where I am, and what should I know before I go outside?
The project needed to make the scientific infrastructure credible without overwhelming the audience with scientific jargon.
Riga airTEXT
Riga airTEXT launched at Riga City Hall on 27 February 2018. It provides regularly updated, three-day forecasts for air quality, ultraviolet radiation, pollen concentrations and air temperature.
The service was developed by UK and Latvian scientists from Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants (CERC) and Estonian, Latvian & Lithuanian Environment (ELLE), with financial support from CAMS. Riga City Council and Latvia’s environmental authorities worked with the project team to ensure the service addressed local public needs.
Forecast information
Riga airTEXT presents local forecast information through multiple channels:
- A public website.
- A mobile application.
- Free SMS alerts.
- Email alerts.
- Facebook and Twitter updates.
- Local air-quality maps and bulletins.
The service uses an air-quality index based on the pollutant expected to have the greatest health impact on a given day and location. Its public index covers nitrogen dioxide (\(\mathrm{NO_2}\)), particulate matter (\(\mathrm{PM_{10}}\) and \(\mathrm{PM_{2.5}}\)) and ozone (\(\mathrm{O_3}\)).
Technical foundation
The forecasting system combines several complementary sources of information:
Satellite observations
- CAMS regional air-quality forecasts
- Meteorological forecasts
- High-resolution urban dispersion modelling = Local public air-quality forecasts