Air Quality Classification Research Articles

Development of a regression model to forecast ground-level ozone concentration in Louisville, KY

To support ozone forecasting and episodic air pollution control initiatives in the Louisville metropolitan area, a multiple-linear regression model to predict daily domain-peak ground-level ozone concentration [O 3] has been developed and validated. Using only surface meteorological data from 1993–1996 and making extensive use of parametric transformations to improve accuracy, the ten parameter model has a standard error of prediction of 12.1 ppb and an explained variance of 0.70. Retrospective ozone forecasts were made for each day of the four ozone seasons (May–September) using archival meteorological data as input to the model. For the period 1993–1996 examined, 50% of days were forecast to within ±7.6 ppb, and on 80% of days the accuracy was within ±14.8 ppb. The model correctly predicted 74, 80, and 40% of occurrences of the daily “good” ([O 3]⩽60 ppb), “moderate” (60<[O 3]⩽95), and “approaching unhealthful” (95<[O 3]⩽120) air quality categories, respectively. The model did not predict any of the nine exceedances of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard ([O 3] >120) which occurred over the four year period. Simple supplementary meteorological criteria were developed that correctly forecast 89% of NAAQS exceedances. Used in combination with forecaster experience, synoptic weather information, and supplementary meteorological criteria, the regression model can be a useful tool for improving the accuracy of local O 3 forecasts.

An analysis of global problem issues in sixth‐and seventh‐grade textbooks

AbstractThe study examines the extent to which the global issues of population growth, world hunger, air quality and atmosphere, and water resources were treated in sixth‐ and seventh‐grade science textbooks. Ten textbooks were examined by five raters to determine the amount of content presented by different textbooks on global issues, the number of pages of content devoted to each issue, and the degree of depth in which issues were treated. Differences between grade levels were also explored. Of the 4,393 pages of content analyzed, less than 2 percent was devoted to these issues identified as the most serious human problems. No significant differences were found between textbook series. Significant differences were found in the number of pages of content presented on each issue. Most of the content fell into the categories of water resources, population growth, air quality, and atmosphere. The issue of war technology had the least amount of content. Distribution of content did not vary by grade level. Both levels addressed the issues of population growth, air quality, and water resources with a greater degree of depth than the issue of world hunger or war technology. The study concludes that the most widely used textbooks at the sixth‐ and seventh‐grade levels avoid serious discussion of major global problems. And like the career indecision of a recent Miss America contestant, purchasers don't seem to be able to decide whether they want science textbooks to be “a brain surgeon or a movie actress.” Implications stemming from this dichotomy and its relationship to future science education curricular are also explored.