Air Quality data derived from EO satellites for understanding the correlation between air pollution and epidemiological outbreaks
The SMEETH service aims to be the first tool in the market designed to handle massive amounts of satellite-based air pollution data, climate data and medical records enabling users to detect patterns and fit correlation models between data and geo-referenced medical records. It aims at helping the medical community to better understand the correlations between the direct exposition to atmospheric pollutants and the emergence of epidemiological outbreaks, various pathologies, and admissions in hospitals. The service uses Earth Observation satellites in order to improve and optimize air pollution research and air quality measurements especially in region with limited or non-existent air quality monitoring ground stations. SMEETH supports decision-making towards effective epidemic control and the definition of successful prevention campaigns. The service targets three main segments of users: (i) decision-makers (policymakers, public bodies, large cities with a mandate for policymaking and law enforcement regarding climate, environment, health, transportation and security matters); (ii) public health resource managers; and (iii) research institutions and academia as well as the pharmaceutical industry. The space assets contributing to SMEETH refer to Earth Observation satellites as air quality data derived from EO satellites can complement in-situ and modelled data in order to add value to the spatial coverage, spatial resolution and accuracy.