Most people who’ve lived in the Coachella Valley for a while have experienced the high winds that kick dust into the air, leading to sneezing, coughing and sometimes more serious health effects.
But how dusty does our air get, exactly?
New technology showcased in Palm Desert recently will help scientists measure it — and ultimately could even help find ways to mitigate the problems.
A high-tech air quality monitor
The regional air quality regulator, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, demonstrated how it uses a portable wind tunnel instrument called the Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Laboratory. The PI-SWERL is used to measure how much dust from surfaces can get into the air. The event on Friday, May 29, was held at the University of California Riverside’s Palm Desert campus.
A researcher at the event said the PI-SWERL works by creating a miniature dust storm inside a chamber, which reveals how windy it needs to be to create dust and how much more of it is produced when wind increases.
Policymakers like Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, who was also at the event, will then use that data to push for dust mitigation efforts that help protect public health.
Perez said it took a while to get agencies to understand the impact of dust storms in the valley, such as that of airborne particle “Particulate Matter 10” that has adverse health effects when inhaled. People always ask when they’ll actually see something happen to address the issue, he said.
“Well this is what we’re seeing on the ground … besides the four air monitors that we have throughout the Coachella Valley,” he said. “And that is exactly what we need to make sure that we identify where to place mitigation efforts and how we’re gonna deal with the dust concerns moving forward.”
It was a windy morning when researchers set up the PI-SWERL. They moved the machine’s dolly to an open desert area beside a campus parking lot. Amato Evan, a professor at University of California, San Diego, held up the machine while others set a Sharpie on the ground and took pictures.
“We want to take pictures of what the landscape looked like before we set down the instrument. We have to have a Sharpie for scale,” Evan said. “And then we throw the instrument down and then we want to take another picture after it’s done so we can see kind of how the land surface changed.”
Evan then set the PI-SWERL down and it made a hum as it worked, similar in sound to a refrigerator. Dust will kick out from a tube connected to the machine’s round base and the display will track how much of that it produces, the professor said.
In a press release, South Coast AQMD said the PI-SWERL is part of its “dust reduction plan focusing on identifying major dust sources, developing targeted mitigation strategies, and funding projects to reduce emissions in the most affected areas.”
The agency said its air quality sensors in the valley include four regulatory air monitoring stations and four environmental cameras for tracking dust activity, four air quality sensors and plans to deploy three more sensors.
How to get Palm Springs air quality alerts
Residents can stay updated on air quality in the area at aqmd.gov or on AQMD’s app. You can also sign up for alerts at www.aqmd.gov/home/air-quality/air-alerts.
What to do when air quality index is high
One way to stay safe from air pollution is to be informed about the air quality, which you can do by checking AQMD’s website and signing up for alerts.
If air quality is at a dangerous level, try to limit how exposed you are to it by staying inside, and keeping both windows and doors shut. Consider wearing a face mask if you can’t avoid going outside.
The AQMD also recommends changing your air conditioner filter often.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: How scientists measure air quality in Palm Springs and what you can do
Reporting by Ani Gasparyan, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
