CSS employee owners supported the deployment and operation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality monitoring trailer (WEAVE COM – Western Enhanced Air quality VEhicle for COmmunity Monitoring) in California’s San Joaquin Valley in during late fall and early winter of 2024.  Elevated particulate matter (PM2.5) is frequently found throughout the valley during the wintertime when thermal inversions trap pollution. Instruments on the trailer measure criteria air pollutants, other airborne contaminants and the chemical composition of particulate matter.  The mobile lab allows scientists to collect atmospheric data to fill in gaps between existing fixed air quality monitoring stations to help identify sources and types of atmospheric PM2.5. CSS staff helped set up the trailer at the deployment site, conducted daily quality control checks on multiple instruments, and supported instrument operations throughout the deployment. 

Trailer has instruments on top for monitoring air quality
WEAVE COM air quality monitoring trailer. 
View over a valley with a fog settled between the mountains
View overlooking San Joaquin Valley during a thermal inversion episode.

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Contributing to the Next Generation Fire System

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Advanced Planning for Hardware Retirements 

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Fire Detection Support

CSS provides fire detection support to the Atmospheric Science and Technology Applications team with NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Services. CSS Surface Characteristics Scientist serves on the Fire Emissions and Fire Detection teams, providing data manipulation, algorithm development, and performance evaluation for the system. This ensures fast and reliable satellite data to stakeholders,…