Mavroulidou, Maria, Susan J Hughes, and Emma E Hellawell. "A Qualitative Tool Combining an Interaction Matrix and a GIS to Map Vulnerability to Traffic Induced Air Pollution." Journal of Environmental Management 70.4 (2004): 283-89. Web.
In Guildford, United Kingdom researchers combined two techniques, an interaction matrix and mapping overlay, to create a new tool for mapping air pollution vulnerability. The interaction matrix is made up of multiple parameters such as wind, traffic, roughness, topography, buildings, and traffic. The response variable was air quality, in particular carbon monoxide (CO). Air pollution is inherently a geographical problem so having a mapping overlay is critical to visualizing and interpreting results. The datasets for all the parameters used in the matrix were stored in the GIS. This tool was tested in an urban area with a high amount of traffic congestion causing air pollution. Each parameter was given a weighting factor for use in the overlay. Datasets had to be created for roughness and buildings, from Ordnance Survey Raster map for Guildford. The weighting factors were multiplied by the spatial datasets. The resulting rasters were added together and the result created a map of areas vulnerable to CO emissions in Guildford. These results were validated from a predictive numerical model for the same area and were shown to be comparable, but at a much lower resolution than the numerical model. Overall using the matrix weighting method proved to be feasible and useful. This tool could be helpful in preliminary air quality assessments as well as predictive scenarios. This research is of interest to me because I am curious about incorporating tools like these to create air quality assessments, as well as predictions, using lichen biomonitoring data.