NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA, Partners Celebrate First Anniversary of Vital Air Quality Communications Resource in Mesoamerica, Caribbean

SERVIR's 'Smog Blog' provides timely information about air pollution and its sources throughout Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. Image credit: SERVIR

NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and their partners today celebrate the first anniversary of the air quality initiative within SERVIR that delivers in-situ, satellite-based, and modeled air quality data to forecasters, researchers, broadcasters, and communities throughout Mesoamerica and the Caribbean.

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The SERVIR initiative integrates satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to monitor and forecast environmental changes and to improve response to natural disasters. SERVIR enables scientists, educators, project managers and policy implementers to better respond to a range of issues including disaster management, agricultural development, biodiversity conservation and climate change. Endorsed by governments of Central America and Africa and principally supported by NASA and the US Agency of International Development (USAID), a strong emphasis is placed on partnerships to fortify the availability of searchable and viewable earth observations, measurements, animations, and analysis. A SERVIR coordination office and rapid prototyping facility is located at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Regional SERVIR nodes are located at the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) in Panama and the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) based in Kenya.