Creating an open algorithm ecosystem on top of open air quality data from 70 countries

Abstract

TPS 691: Methods of measurement, design and data analysis, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 28, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: OpenAQ is a platform that harmonizes public air quality data into one useable-format in a near-real time through an open-source platform (https://openaq.org). To date, the platform consists of approximately 400 million ambient air quality (i.e. PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, CO, and BC) data points from 70 countries and 116 government and research-grade sources. By having such data harmonized into one format and openly available, an ecosystem of shared, open tools for analys and more data-capture and is able to emerge. This ultimately reduces undifferentiated heavy lifting to access and analyze these raw data from their disparate sources. Methods: Through OpenAQ Community efforts, a variety of open-source tools have emerged for public use. These tools have been created through feedback from the OpenAQ Community on their function and design, and all are freely available – and modifiable – via the project repository on GitHub: https://github.com/openaq Results: This presentation highlights two specific available open tools: (1) openaq-quality-checks (https://github.com/openaq/openaq-quality-checks), a command line interface that flags user-specified data points in the OpenAQ platform, such as unphysically-likely repeating values, zeros, negative values, etc. and, (2) a metadata editor (detailed description: https://github.com/openaq/project-metadata-format) and corresponding initial metadata format (https://github.com/openaq/project-metadata-format/issues/7#issuecomment-463309289) that enables data source generators, such as an air quality agency or researcher, to add additional information that give their data context and consequently make them more useable to the public. Other open-source tools generated around the community will also be briefly shared. Conclusions: The results presented here will enable a variety of fields, including environmental epidemiology, to more quickly access, better understand, and more quickly analyze air quality data from 70 countries made available on the OpenAQ platform. We will also encourage the audience to help the OpenAQ Community further expand its suite of open-source tools in ways that specifically enhance the environmental epidemiology community.