Health and the Environment

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Data Sets (2 of 54) View All

Annual Global High-Resolution Extreme Heat Estimates (GEHE), v1 (1983 – 2016)

Satellite-Derived Environmental Indicators

To provide a high-resolution, longitudinal global data set of annual extreme humid-heat.

Annual Mean PM2.5 Components (EC, NH4, NO3, OC, SO4) 50m Urban and 1km Non-Urban Area Grids for Contiguous U.S., v1 (2000 – 2019)

Air Quality Data for Health-Related Applications

To provide annual PM2.5 component concentration data for the contiguous U.S. at resolutions of 50m in urban areas and 1km in non-urban areas for public health research to estimate effects on human health, and for other related research.

Map Gallery (4 of 457) View All

U.S. EPA National Priorities List Sites, v2: U.S.A.

Map: U.S. EPA National Priorities List Sites, v2: U.S.A.
Hi-Resolution: PDF | PNG

ATSDR Hazardous Waste Sites, v2: U.S.A.

Map: ATSDR Hazardous Waste Sites, v2: U.S.A.
Hi-Resolution: PDF | PNG

ATSDR Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priorities List, v2: U.S.A.

Map: ATSDR Hazardous Waste Sites on National Priorities List, v2: U.S.A.
Hi-Resolution: PDF | PNG

UHI Summer Nighttime Urban-Rural Temperature Difference (2013)

Map: UHI Summer Nighttime Urban-Rural Temperature Difference (2013)
Hi-Resolution: PDF | PNG

Featured Data Uses (2 of 2)

Fine Particulate Air Pollution and Diabetes

The Lancet Planetary Health

Researchers used observations of very small particulates in the air, as monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as via the satellite-based Global Annual PM2.5 Grids from MODIS, MISR and SeaWiFS Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), v1 data set distributed by SEDAC, to uncover the relationship between air pollution and type 2 diabetes. Controlling for non-pollution factors like obesity, they found that tiny particulates are responsible for a significant number of diabetes cases and that reducing exposure to the pollution would yield significant health benefits.

Another Way to Look at an Air Quality Problem

State of the Planet

Satellite data offer a particularly valuable perspective on PM2—small particles deriving mostly from burning fossil fuels and biomass, which can harm human health—because ground instruments may be unavailable or offer limited information, as is the case in China. With that in mind, researchers at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and Batelle Memorial Institute have developed maps based on satellite data that depict annual PM2.5 exposure in all of China’s provinces.