Jodhpur air quality map

Is there much exciting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Jodhpur?

The air pollution map for Jodhpur can be found on the main city page. Merely by selecting this icon will encourage another page to open which is filled with all information about air quality in and around the city.

When the map page first opens, the viewer will notice the overall colour of the background. This colour indicates the overall air quality in a very visual way. Currently, the colour is an orangey/brown which indicates very, very poor air quality. These colours are standard across the IQAir website and range from pale green to dark maroon where the darker colours represent poorer air quality.

There are also some coloured circles or discs which are superimposed over the map. These represent the locations of the ground-level air monitoring stations. Each disc displays a number which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This is calculated by taking measurements of the levels of six of the most commonly found pollutants in city air. They are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once established it can be used as a standard when comparing air quality in different locations across the globe. The entire system is fully endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). If any area of the city is of special interest, then by choosing an appropriate disc, another page will open to reveal more specific information about that locale.

Looking back at the main city page it can be seen that the coloured banner at the top of the page shows the current air quality to be “Very Unhealthy” with a high US AQI reading of 248. The main pollutant which was measured was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 197.9 µg/m³. This level is almost forty times higher than the suggested target of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Scrolling down the page to below the map can be seen the number of stations there are that provide the air quality data. Currently, there is one station which is the Collectorate, Jodhpur - RSPCB and is operated by the government-run Central Pollution Control Board.

Are areas with higher levels of pollution shown on the air pollution map for Jodhpur?

Areas of high levels of air pollution can be identified by looking for the disc with the highest number and/or the darkest colour. Because Jodhpur has just the one station there will be no confusion. Alternately, by scrolling further down the page will be a table which shows the most polluted station within the city. This is the one at Collectorate, Jodhpur – RSPCB and shows a US AQI reading of 248 which is “Very Unhealthy”. Below this table is another which shows which station is the most popular with the highest number of followers. Collectorate, Jodhpur – RSPCB has almost 10,000 followers.

Is there much more interesting information about air pollution on the air quality map for Jodhpur?

There is much more information about air quality here on the air pollution map for Jodhpur, but the screen needs to be viewed in full-screen mode in order to see all the information. This is easily done by selecting the icon which appears at the top right-hand side of the screen.

Once viewed this way, four choices will appear on the left-hand side of the screen which can all be turned on or off individually to get a better idea of the effects each one has.

The first option shows the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations which can each be individually chosen to explore that specific area in more detail.

Option number two shows the position of any wildfires which might be burning in the vicinity. If any fires are burning out of control, then option number four needs to be consulted. This option shows the speed and direction of the wind and will give a good indication of where the ensuing smoke might blow.

The third option has the power to change the entire colour of the map to reflect the current state of the air. If the overall colour is seen to be too confusing then it can be deactivated and the colour of the map will revert to a more subdued palette that may be easier to understand.

There is more information on the right-hand side of the page where a table can be seen that ranks world cities according to their levels of air pollution. By default, only seven cities are listed but the page can be further explored by checking out the full ranking section where all the participating cities will be seen.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air quality map for Jodhpur?

The source of the polluted air is not shown directly on the air pollution map for Jodhpur, however, industrial enterprises are increasing in and around the city and they are contributing to the increase in air pollution, together with the sheer volume of motorised traffic that uses the road network daily.

Many of these vehicles tend to be older vehicles that have been imported into India from other countries where they would be prevented from being driven due to their age. Such legislation does not exist in India so they make a cheaper alternative to newer, less polluting vehicles. The fuel used in them is often adulterated with cheaper ingredients which also produces more pollution.

PM2.5 is always referred to on the air pollution map for Jodhpur, but what is it?

PM2.5, particles of this category are so small that they can only be seen with a microscope. They are smaller than PM10 particles - 10 micrometres in size and are also called fine particles, which in certain conditions can be seen with the naked eye. PM2.5 particles are four times smaller than PM10 particles.

Fine particles can come from many sources such as power plants, heating plants, individual combustion plants (coal - as the worst type of solid fuel), motor vehicles, aircraft, wood burning, forest fires, stubble and crop residue burning, volcanic eruptions and sand storms. Some of them are emitted directly into the air, while others are formed when gases and particles interact in the atmosphere. For example, sulphur dioxide emitted from industrial plants reacts with oxygen and water droplets in the air and then forms sulphuric acid as a secondary product.

Because they are very small and light, fine particles tend to stay in the air longer than heavier particles. This increases the chances of the human body or animal breathing these particles into the lungs. Thanks to their small size, particles less than 2.5 micrometres are able to pass through the nose and throat and can penetrate deep into the lungs and can even enter the bloodstream.