Selection and Analysis of Satellite Images for Regulatory Evidence

The Environment Agency regulates large, complex industrial processes, and local authorities regulate other sources such as transport and smaller industrial processes. In our role, we must be able to assess industrial emissions to determine and issue permits, monitor compliance, and investigate pollution incidents. Hence, we need to be able to quantify pollutant emissions and concentrations for industrial sites, and for this we use a range of conventional/terrestrial techniques including emission factors, flue-gas monitors, and ambient monitors - which may be static or mobile.

Earth observation satellites have previously been suggested as potential sources of data, that could deliver additional advantages over the conventional/terrestrial techniques because of their spatial coverage, regular timing, and utility for attributing pollutant plumes to sources.

Historically earth observation was seen as an emergent / low quality / unproven technology; so we've not used satellite data to augment our other air quality monitoring methods. But recent advances in the sensitivity of satellite sensors and increases in the spatial and temporal resolution of satellite sampling, mean that we now need to assess the suitability of satellite data for regulatory purposes and the Environment Agency has awarded this contract to provide the following services:

• Carry out a desktop review of regulatory requirements for air-quality evidence from industrial processes and evaluate where currently-available satellite data would be most likely to provide the evidence required.