About the OpenAQ Map
The OpenAQ map displays all current data aggregated to OpenAQ from various publicly-shared official monitoring sources* for which our platform has associated geo coordinates (As of 16 Apr 2016: 96% of locations on the platform). All data displayed, as well as historical data, are accessible via our open API.
Motivation
There are already several air quality maps that show similarly aggregated real-time data (e.g. AirVisual, PlumeLabs, aqicn.org — aka waqi.org), and they’re awesome. So why did we make another one? We wanted to display air quality data from a different perspective. Essentially, we wanted to:
- Show air quality in physical units instead of an air quality index. More on why here.
- Allow the user to explore different pollutant-types.
- Directly let the user download real-time and historical data for further exploration and awesomeness. (Or, as always, through our open API.)
And more than anything, we wanted to put a map out there that transparently shows air quality data and their originating sources in order to inspire the open air quality community to do cool stuff with these open data. In fact, that’s the goal of our entire project.
Below, we detail the functionality of the map, ask you for feedback, and thank the incredible work done by air quality agencies from across the world that make such a map possible.
Functionality
- Users can select a pollutant of interest from the drop-down menu on the legend bar:
- Users can learn more about a specific location by clicking on it, which will bring up a side bar. The side bar lists the location name, the pollutant measurement, and the age of the measurement. Icons below the location name allow the user to download data and go directly to the originating data source:
- Locations are shown in gray when the most recent data point available is more than 24 hours old (or reporting a value less than zero).
Let us know what you think!
This is the first iteration of this map, and we want your feedback on how to improve it in the future. What are the kinds of things you would find useful? What changes would you suggest? Do you notice any errors? Create an issue on GitHub here. And we’d love to know how the map is used and for what types of applications. Shoot us an email (info@openaq.org) to tell us what you are up to!
Acknowledgements
Our entire platform, including this map, owes its existence to the good works of air quality agencies around the world that are measuring and publicly sharing their data. We also thank the OpenAQ community for continuing to be awesome.
*‘Official monitoring sources’ are defined as government-sponsored and maintained, stationary, ground-based monitors.
