Sonipat air quality map

What useful information about air quality can be found on the air pollution map for Sonipat?

There is a wealth of good information about air quality which is very easy to access from the main city page for Sonipat. Clicking on the map icon will open a new page which is dedicated to providing the latest information about air quality.

Once opened, the viewer will first notice the intense colour of the map’s background which is a direct indication of the air quality at that time. Colours can range from pale green to dark maroon where the darker colours indicate worsening air quality. Currently, the colour is a dark reddish brown which visually shows the air quality as being “Very Unhealthy” with a US AQI reading of 202.

There are typically several coloured discs distributed across the map which denote the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations. However, not all cities have actual stations and rely on data collected by overhead satellites for the air quality data. Sonipat is one such city without physical stations. When the map is slightly expanded, several coloured discs appear, especially around New Delhi. These discs all use the same colour notation as the rest of the IQAir website.

At the centre of these discs is a number which is the United States Air Quality Index reading or US AQI for short. This figure is calculated by taking readings for six of the most prolific pollutants found in city air. These are usually both sizes of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Once calculated, it is used as a metric when comparing air quality in other cities around the world. It has the full support of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Briefly looking back to the main city page, it can be seen in the coloured banner at the top of the page that the air quality in February 2023 was classified as being “Very unhealthy” with a US AQI reading of 202. This is instantly recognisable by the use of colour for the banner. The main pollutant was PM2.5 with a recorded level of 151.4 µg/m³ which is over thirty times the suggested target figure of 5 µg/m³ as recommended by the WHO.

Is there any more useful information about air quality to be found on the air pollution map for Sonipat?

There is a lot more interesting information about air quality on the air pollution map for Sonipat. It is very easy to find by selecting the icon at the top right-hand side of the map which will re-open the page in full-screen mode thus allowing all the relevant information to be seen. A list of four options should be visible on the left-hand side of the screen which can all be turned off or on individually to see the effects they each have on the map.

The first option would show the location of the ground-level air monitoring stations, but as previously stated, there are no physical stations around Sonipat. Each disc can be individually selected and explored further to discover the state of the air in that specific location. The next option shows the position of any wildfires that might be burning in the vicinity. At the beginning of February 2023, there were no icons on the map which shows that at that time there were no fires burning out of control. If any fires are detected, then option number four needs to be consulted because it shows the speed and direction of the prevailing winds and will give a good indication of where the smoke may blow.

Option number three changes the background colour of the map to instantly show the current state of the air. Sometimes this overall colouration might be too distracting, in which case it can be deactivated and the map will revert to a more subdued set of colours.

There are even more fascinating facts and figures about air quality over on the right-hand side of the page. A table will be seen here which ranks the top seven most polluted cities from around the world. More world cities can be seen by selecting the full-ranking section whereby a new page will open to show the order of cleanliness of the remaining participating cities.

Can the source of the polluted air be seen on the air pollution map for Sonipat?

The direct source of the polluted air is not directly shown on the air quality map for Sonipat, but it is known that open burning of rubber scrap and plastic, along with heaps of garbage and dust, is a major cause of pollution.

The air quality index of the district is increasing. It has gone to a very bad level. With the onset of winter, the level of pollution is expected to increase further. Along with irritation in the eyes, people have also started having breathing problems in the elderly. In this, people who have suffered corona infection need to be more careful. Experts believe that the shrinkage of the lungs infected with corona has not completely gone away.

A study is currently underway to discover the sources of pollution and then the Haryana government will prepare a roadmap to reduce air pollution. The researchers will also state all possible measures after data collection, validation and interpretation. These measures will include both short term and long term. It will also take care that the least cost-maximizing measures will be implemented.

What is PM2.5 which is always seen on the air pollution map for Sonipat?

PM is also called Particulate Matter or particle pollution, which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets present in the atmosphere. The particles present in the air are so small that you cannot see them with the naked eye. Some particles are so small that they can only be detected using an electron microscope. Particle pollution includes PM2.5 and PM10 which are very dangerous.

PM2.5 refers to atmospheric particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, which is about 3 per cent the diameter of a human hair.

Commonly written as PM2.5, particles in this category are so small that they can only be detected with an electron microscope. These are even smaller than their PM10 counterparts. PM10 are particles whose diameter is 10 micrometres and they are also called fine particles. Environmental experts say that PM10 is also called respirable particulate matter.