Using NASA Satellite Data to Assess Impacts of Climate and Air Quality

ALBANY, NY (July 15, 2022) –Temilayo Adeyeye (Department of Environmental Health Sciences) and Tabassum Insaf (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics), both based at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), are using state-of-the-art tools— including satellite data from NASA— to assess the impact of climate and air quality in communities where air monitoring does not take place. Their work has helped modify warnings for heat-related illness in New York State and continues to provide data that informs public health policy and practice.

For years, temperature data has been collected by physical monitoring stations located in counties across New York State, but relying only on this data means that the heat trends are not captured in communities without a station. While the number of observation stations has expanded through UAlbany’s New York State Mesonet—a network of 126 stations across the State— additional data from satellites can enable a closer look at temperature within individual communities.

“Using satellite data, we can examine more closely how people are affected by heat and use this information to better inform the public on when they need to take action by hydrating, staying inside, and taking other measures,” Adeyeye explains.

Insaf was principal investigator on a NASA ROSES (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences) project that used satellite data in conjunction with modeled temperature reanalysis data from the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). With funding from the NASA Applied Sciences Program, their multidisciplinary team downscaled the satellite data from a 12-kilometer gridded product to 1 kilometer.

“With NLDAS, you’re looking at heat in sections of 12 kilometers. Essentially, what we did was downscale to look at grids of one kilometer to see the variation based on a smaller area,” Insaf explains. “We know that heat is not experienced the same way across the state and that local features play an impact. ‘Zooming in’ on this data allowed us to better understand how our local communities are impacted by heat.”

This research led to modifications to benefit programs for heat-related illness to help better assist communities that face extreme heat. The full research report can be found in Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment.

Their team also worked with the regional offices of the National Weather Service to evaluate whether heat advisories were issued appropriately to protect health of New Yorkers. In 2016, they found that the threshold for heat advisories in New York State were too high when issued at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a threshold developed based on national data. Using New York data taken from satellites, their work led the heat advisory criteria in the State to be lowered by five degrees (to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in 2018.

“This adjustment is significant enough to make a difference and reduce hospitalizations, but not too low that people feel heat warning fatigue from receiving too many messages about staying indoors,” Adeyeye says.

This work also led to the development of tools and infographics by NYSDOH for each county in New York State to aid climate health surveillance and mitigation efforts. The data provided was location-specific, making the messaging more helpful for local communities.

Adeyeye and Insaf also played a key role in developing an interactive map for New York State on extreme heat and health, which displays information on climate change, heat related illness, risk factors, and steps to take to reduce the risk of heat-related illness. They are currently working with NASA’s Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences team to study the joint effects of air pollution and climate in the context of climate policy initiatives in the state. Insaf was recently named a HAQAST ambassador in recognition of her work to promote the use of satellite data among stakeholders in the field of environmental health.

“Whether we’re providing input on climate action plans, working with climate impact assessment advisory groups, or creating tools for countries across New York, our research using satellite data directly informs policy and practice,” says Insaf. “It’s rewarding work.”