SERVIR AST Science PI Aaron Naeger (UAH) led a training on Air Quality Products Derived from Advanced Remote Sensing and Numerical Model Forecasts, with Bhupesh Adhikary, Senior Air Quality Specialist and Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Senior Remote Sensing & Geoinformation Specialist, of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)/SERVIR-HKH. The training was held April 4-7 at ICIMOD, with 29 total participants from organizations including the Department of Environment in Nepal and Bangladesh, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, National Environment Commission in Bhutan, and academic participants from Kathmandu University and Kabul University.
Air pollution is a serious environmental and health concern in the region. The objective of the training was to increase participants’ understanding of advanced satellite remote sensing technology and modelling techniques that can be used to significantly improve air quality monitoring and forecasting capabilities. The training covered fundamentals of remote sensing for monitoring fires, trace gases, and aerosols, and provided an overview of data products, new value-added products, and forecast information from trajectory and chemical transport models. Naeger is Science PI for the AST project “Advancing Air Quality Monitoring and Prediction Capabilities in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan Region”, with PI Emily Berndt (ST11)
