Surabaya air quality map

What are some of the pollution readings on the air quality maps in Surabaya?

At the beginning of this article, some US AQI readings taken throughout the latter part of May, 2022, will be quoted as examples. The US AQI figures present on the air quality map, or air pollution map as it can also be referred to, will change constantly over time, with each month potentially carrying different readings (for a number of reasons, certain months can see prominent elevations in the pollution levels, which will be looked at in further detail in the following question regarding the causes of higher air pollution readings on the air quality map). Furthermore, over the course of a single day the figures shown on the air quality map above will change, with many factors playing a part in these changes, although some areas may remain consistent.

As can be seen above on the air pollution map, the pollution readings for Surabaya are shown in colored spots across the map, and whilst there are not a significantly large amount of air quality monitoring stations feeding data to the map currently, they will increase over time, as the demand for more concise air quality data increases, as is happening throughout much of the world, particularly in nations that are undergoing a dramatic increase in population size as well as increased industrialization and vehicle ownership. To quote some of the figures that are currently present on the air pollution map above in late May, Surabaya came in with US AQI readings of 45 and 53. The reading of 45 was taken from a station near Sememi and Bringin and was color-coded as green. Each pollution rating is classified by the US AQI figure, with this reading of 45 falling within the 'good' air quality rating bracket, which requires a reading of anywhere between 0 to 50 to be classified as such. Whilst this still fell within the 'good' rating bracket shown on the air quality map, it was on the higher end and thus would represent increased amounts of smoke, haze, clouds of fine particles or other polluting elements permeating the air (although still within less dangerous quantities). The closer the US AQI figure is to 0, the better the air quality is, with some lower readings seen across air quality maps worldwide representing air that is free from many dangerous and contaminating particles or chemical compounds.

Each air pollution rating bracket gets darker as the pollution level rises, with the next one up being termed as 'moderate', which requires a US AQI reading of 51 to 100 to be classified as such, putting the other above-mentioned reading into this rating (color-coded as yellow). Air pollution levels that spike up to more considerable heights bring with them much darker colors that can be seen on both the air quality map above, as well as on the city page for Surabaya and others across Indonesia, with red, purple and maroon indicating the highest levels of air pollution, carrying with them extremely negative consequences for both the environment as well as people who are exposed. Such readings are usually only seen within the most polluted cities in the world, or can also be seen when fires or other such large combustion sources put out enough smoke to drive the US AQI reading up high enough.

With these facts in mind, it can be seen that as of mid-2022, the pollution readings present on the air quality map in Surabaya were not especially dangerous, although they may carry with them some negative health consequences, particularly amongst more vulnerable groups within Surabaya. It is very important to note that the pollution readings present on the air quality map can indeed shoot up at certain times, so consistent checking of the air pollution map, particularly amongst users that wish to keep their pollution exposure to a minimum, would be a wise thing to do. When the readings do reach certain heights on the air quality map, and if users are in the nearby vicinity, certain preventative measures can be taken to reduce any negative side effects. These include avoiding outdoor activities, particularly strenuous ones such as jogging or other exercises, and the wearing of fine particle filtering masks can be undertaken to decrease the amount of particulate matter inhaled. High-quality particle filtering masks are available for purchase on the IQAir website, and along with other effects such as keeping doors and windows closed during pollution spikes (to prevent indoor pollution levels from rising), such measures can go a long way in reducing potential health problems, with the figures available on the air quality map above also being of value in these efforts.

What causes air pollution levels to be higher on the air quality map in Surabaya?

Higher readings that may be witnessed on the air quality map for Surabaya (and there will likely be days whereby the readings do indeed shoot up rapidly) can be caused by several main reasons. These include common ones such as emissions from cars and other vehicles, with rush hour traffic being a time when US AQI reading spike up on the air pollution map, particularly if there is inadequate wind to aid in clearing away pollution clouds. Emissions from factories, power plants, poorly paved roads and even construction sites, can all lend themselves to putting higher readings on the air quality map in Surabaya.

What does the reading on the air quality map for Surabaya tell you about the pollution content?

The readings present on the air quality map above for Surabaya use the US AQI figure to inform you of pollution levels. This is aggregated from several main pollutants, which include PM10 and PM2.5, along with ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Thus, whilst the air quality map pages do not show the exact concentration levels of each pollutant, with this knowledge in mind, users can know that they are likely being exposed to higher levels of the above-mentioned contaminants when they are in more highly polluted areas of the city, with each pollutant varying in concentration depending on the activities taking place, along with weather conditions (such as high amounts of sunlight causing ozone to form) playing a part.

Which people can gain the most benefit from air quality maps in Surabaya?

All members of society in Surabaya can benefit significantly from the use of air quality maps in Surabaya, even among the young, fit and healthy. However, those with pre-existing health conditions, poor immune systems, the elderly and pregnant women are those that fall into a more ‘at risk’ category. As such, for these people the use of air quality maps to see exactly where the pollution levels in Surabaya may be at their highest can prove to be extremely helpful.