NCore Monitoring Network

NCore is a multi pollutant network that integrates several advanced measurement systems for particles, pollutant gases and meteorology. Most NCore stations have been operating since the formal start of the network on January 1, 2011.  The requirements for NCore monitoring can be found in 40 CFR part 58 Appendix D.

The NCore Network addresses the following objectives:

• Timely reporting of data to public by supporting AIRNow, air quality forecasting, and other public reporting mechanisms;
• Support for development of emission strategies through air quality model evaluation and other observational methods;
• Accountability of emission strategy progress through tracking long-term trends of criteria and non-criteria pollutants and their precursors;
• Support for long-term health assessments that contribute to ongoing reviews of the NAAQS;
• Compliance through establishing nonattainment/attainment areas through comparison with the NAAQS;
• Support to scientific studies ranging across technological, health, and atmospheric process disciplines; and
• Support to ecosystem assessments recognizing that national air quality networks benefit ecosystem assessments and, in turn, benefit from data specifically designed to address ecosystem analyses.