Mae Chan air quality map

What information is there on the air pollution map for Mae Chan?

The air quality map for Mae Chan can be easily accessed from the main city page by clicking on the map itself. Once selected, a new page will open, dedicated to all things related to air quality. The overall colouration of the map is probably the first thing a viewer will notice. Currently, this colour is mid-green which indicated the general air quality. The full meaning of the colours is explained in the legend at the bottom of the page. Pale green indicates good quality air whilst the darker colours show worsening air quality. The coloured discs seen on the map are showing the positions of ground-level air monitoring stations, but none are close enough to Mae Chan, instead, Mae Chan uses air quality data from satellite imagery.

Looking back at the main city page, during the second quarter of 2022, Mae Chan was enjoying a period of “Good” quality air with a US AQI reading of 21. This figure is calculated by measuring the levels of up to six of the most commonly found air pollutants. It is endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and used as a standard when comparing cities across the globe. The main pollutant which was measured here was PM2.5 with a level of 5.1 µg/m³. The WHO suggests a target figure of 5 µg/m³, so Mae Chan is almost within that limit, although no amount of air pollution should be considered to be safe! With air quality at this level, windows and doors can be safely opened to allow fresh air to enter the rooms and all forms of outdoor exercise could be enjoyed without fear.

Is any other information available from the air pollution map for Mae Chan?

Ideally, the air pollution map for Mae Chan should be read together with the information from the main city page. Together they hold a wealth of information regarding air quality.

On the left-hand side of the pollution map, the viewer will see four options which can be individually deactivated if needed. The first choice shows the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. Even though there are none directly over Mae Chan, several discs can be seen above neighbouring towns. They are coloured to reflect the air quality and show the US AQI reading too. The second option shows the position of any fires that are burning in the vicinity of the city. Together with the fourth option which shows the direction of the prevailing winds, this will greatly assist in seeing if the ensuing smoke is going to affect the air quality in the city. The third option is perhaps the most intriguing as it changes the colour of the background of the air quality map to reflect the current status of the air. Currently, it shows an overall green colour which represents “Good” quality air.

Across on the right-hand side of the screen can be seen a table which ranks world cities according to their level of air pollution. The dirtiest city is listed first. This can be very interesting when comparing your home city with others across the globe.

Can areas of high pollution be detected on the air quality map for Mae Chan?

Because there are no ground stations collecting data for air quality, it can be difficult to ascertain where the most polluted areas are. Satellite information tends to look at the city as a whole and does not differentiate between one area and another. Local industrial zones tend to be more polluted than residential areas because of the activity conducted therein. The city centre can also see elevated levels of air pollution, especially at certain times of the day when traffic is at its peak.

Is the source of the polluted air shown on the air quality map for Mae Chan?

Cars are the source of the most polluted air problems. Carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen. and sulphur. Nearly all nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitrous oxide come out of the exhaust pipe. It is directly toxic to humans. In addition, the lead content in super gasoline also increases the lead content in the air.

Smoke and toxic gases from industrial plants also contribute to polluted air. From chemical factories such as oil refineries, power plants, brewing plants, liquor factories, sugar factories, paper factories, smelting factories dyeing units, glass factories and fertilizer factories all contribute to polluted air with their emissions.

Energy generated from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas is causing the addition of various substances such as hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur into the atmosphere.At certain times of the year, one of the major sources of polluted air is from burning organic crop residue. This has been a traditional way of preparing the ground for the next crop and is also the cheapest and most convenient.

It is particularly nasty because many of the pesticides used on the growing crop remain in the stalks and leaves which are released into the atmosphere when the residue is burned.

PM2.5 is often mentioned on the air pollution map for Mae Chan, but what is it?

Particle Matter means solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the atmosphere which vary in size from 100 microns and smaller, naturally occurring and also caused by various human activities, some are so large that they can be seen with the naked eye, such as dust from stone mills and quarries and wood dust. But some are so small that they can't be seen. The small dust particles have a huge impact on public health.

The most common sources of PM2.5 dust are smoke from automobile exhaust pipes, power plants, industrial plants, smoke from cooking with firewood, smoke from burning garbage, wildfires, as well as from gas reactions. Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds can also contribute to these types of dust.

PM2.5 dust is harmful to health because it can easily travel through the respiratory tract to the lungs and bloodstream. It can increase the chance of heart disease and respiratory disease and must be protected by wearing a mask that meets the standards for protection against small dust in particular.

Reducing the number of cars is a long-term thing, but one way is to speed up the construction of mass transit systems to support or determine whether if anyone buys a car, there must be a parking space for it.