Data Repository
This page provides an overview of the sources of air pollution and related data. All these sources are included for informational purposes, and we have used data from selected air pollution networks for the display. The data available includes both modelled and measured air quality information, as well as health and meteorological data, offering valuable resources for anyone interested in studying air pollution.
Air Quality Data
- Modelled Annual Air Quality Data by Post Code: Provided by Imperial College, this dataset contains modelled data on PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 levels for the year 2019, available at a resolution of 20m², based on measurements from 19,500 council monitors across the UK. More information is available at Address Pollution
- EarthSense Zephyr Network: This network includes 17 measured air quality sensors across Hampshire, recording PM1, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, ozone, and temperature from 2023 to the present, using medium-cost certified sensors. Future plans include co-located indoor and outdoor sensors, alongside wood burner usage diaries for winter 2024-25. More details at EarthSense Zephyr
- Wood burning: This is monitored using Temptop monitors (data not publicly available), Aethalometers, and Levoglucosan (currently unavailable), with relevant references including the Defra Report (2017) and a study in Environmental Pollution (2022)
- Purple Air Network: Provides high-fidelity air quality measurements from 2018 to the present. More details can be found here
- Satellite Data: Obtained using Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) measurements from sensors like MODIS, VIIRS, MISR, and SeaWiFS, with a horizontal resolution of 10–17.6 km. It provides high-fidelity PM10, PM2.5, and infrared thermal detection data from 2018 to the present. Sources include a presentation on satellite data, Data.gov, and Washington University ACAG.
- Modelled Air Quality (AQ) Data: Generated using an automated system that links a high-resolution dispersion model to a local air quality model developed by CERC. References: UK Clean Air and CERC MAQS.
- Met Office Modelled Air Quality Data: Available through the Met Office Air Quality Data Portal here. The data is generated using the Met Office's Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) as part of the UK Clear Air Programme. It provides modelled data at a 1 km resolution with a 1-hour time step. For more details, see UK Clean Air
- DEFRA Automatic Urban Rural Network: Available on the DEFRA UK Air Website . The network reports pollutants that can vary based on location, wind speed, wind direction, and temperature. The data is measured with high fidelity.
- Airly Monitors: Installed in schools across Southampton to measure air quality. More information can be found here
- Local Authority Air Quality Data: Sourced from analysers provided by the Local Authority, with information presented on websites such as AQDM for Winchester and Air Quality England for the New Forest.
- Tranquil City / Go Jauntly Southampton Map: A modelled dataset available at Soton Air Map
- ABP Port Air Quality Monitoring: Uses AQMesh, with sources including AQMesh and ABP Ports.
- Chemical Composition Data: See here
- Diffusion Tube Data:
Health Data
- Public Health Data from Wessex SDE: Maps patients with air quality-related complaints by extracting keywords from medical records. It includes conditions like asthma, COPD, hospital admissions, and mental health indicators (e.g., anxiety, depression). Access requires contacting the SDE with a project proposal to prepare the data. Clarification is needed on whether variables must be prespecified or can be defined during the research.
- The MyAsthma and MyCOPD: self-management app data, sourced from mymhealth/NIHR BRC (via existing contracts) with API access available at https://api.mymhealth.com/login, includes data on the frequency of asthma and COPD exacerbations, asthma control, symptoms, and app usage.
- Hampshire Public Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment: Sourced from mixed data, including census data and others, this assessment contains information on demography, prevalence of health conditions, deprivation, protected characteristics, and health inequalities. Link to the assessment
- The IOW Cohort: As detailed in the Birth Cohort Study, it focuses on asthma and allergies. More details here
Meteorological and Other Data
- Meteorological data: Wind speed, direction, humidity, and temperature are reported by the Met Office and Met Office WOW with high fidelity. Sources: Met Office Climate Data and Met Office WOW
- Historical weather data: Time, operative temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, wind direction, sea level pressure, and solar radiation are provided by Visual Crossing
- Maps of household deprivation: These maps, provided by the Office of National Statistics, show poor living conditions across the UK and Wales. Website: ONS Household Deprivation Map and the Southampton Observatory Dataset (linked to SDE).
- Building conditions and heating fuel type data: The Energy Performance of Buildings data for England and Wales is available on the website: EPC Open Data Communities. API access for downloading bulk data can be found here.
Air Quality Guidelines
- UK Air
- UK Air Quality Limits
- UK Air Quality Policy Context
- The Air Quality Strategy for England
- Air Quality: Revised UK National Air Pollution Control Programme
- WHO Global Air Quality Guidelines (2021)
- Further information about the WHO air quality guidelines
- The National Emission Ceilings Regulations (2018)
- Daily Air Quality Index
Here you'll find key resources outlining national and international air quality standards. These links cover UK legal limits, government strategies, and WHO health-based guidelines, offering a clear view of how air pollution is regulated and assessed: