Southeast Los Angeles Health and Air Quality: An Assessment of Air Quality in Relation to Southeast Los AngelesCommunities’ Proximity to Interstate 710

This feasibility study utilized NASA Earth observations from Sentinel-5P TROPOMI and TEMPO instruments to assess air quality distributions related to heavy traffic congestion along Interstate-710 (I-710) in Southeast Los Angeles, California. This project partnered with Communities for a Better Environment, a non-profit organization advocating for a healthy and clean Los Angeles. Southeast Los Angeles communities located along the I-710 face significant air pollution burdens, exacerbated by high vehicle emissions and elevated levels of social vulnerability. In response, our team analyzed NASA satellite-derived data on air pollutants focusing on nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde concentrations. Additionally, we developed a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), incorporating factors such as population age, single-parent households, uninsured residents, multi-structure households, and individuals without vehicle access to identify neighborhoods most severely affected by poor air quality. Results showed a clear relationship between heavy traffic volume and elevated air pollution levels in vulnerable communities. Through this analysis, we demonstrated the feasibility of TEMPO as a valuable tool for visualizing localized environmental impacts, offering immediate benefits for public health advocacy and urban planning due to the sensor’s frequent temporal resolution.