The Air Group through the activities of its Basic Sciences Division, Emissions Control Technology Division, Optical Sensing Division, Measurement Division, and its Toxics Air Pollutants Division:

  • Promotes and evaluates research and development related to the transport, transformation, deposition of, and innovative sensing techniques for, criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants.
  • Provides scientific forums for specific research and development and technology transfer issues relating to the formation and fate of tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, noise pollution, the effects of pollution on atmospheric optical conditions, air pollution of the indoor environment and electro-optical sensing technologies.
  • Reviews the state-of-the-art of control and monitoring technology and stimulates research and development of new approaches and methods of employing control and monitoring technology.
  • Encourages technology transfer and the understanding and utilization of new and innovative methods for the advancement of monitoring and control methodology for all pollutants.
  • Defines area of potential reduction in pollutants by source process modification and areas of innovation in environmental monitoring and measurement through electro-optical technology.

The activities of the Air Group are complementary to the Environmental Management Group by their relationship to global environmental change and the subsequent effects on humans, animals and the natural environment.


AB-1 (Particulate Matter Committee)

This committee stimulates research and development work in the areas of aerosol measurement and fine particle control technology. It also provides forums for the presentation of emerging technology in these areas and prepares reviews of articles and informative reports on developing issues in measurement and control technology.

AB-2 (Chemistry Committee)

To facilitate interactions and communications between scientists and air quality managers for improving our understanding of the chemical processes occurring in the tropospheric boundary layer, where human health is a concern.

AB-3 (Meteorology Committee)

The mission of the Meteorology Committee is to encourage the advancement and use of state-of-the-art methods of meteorological and atmospheric dispersion analysis in designing sources of air pollutant emissions and in evaluating air quality impacts.

AB-5 (Noise and Vibration Committee)

This committee informs and educates the general membership about developments in the areas of noise and vibration criteria and regulations, monitoring and measurement techniques, propagation modeling methods, health and environmental impacts, impact assessment methodologies, and control technologies.

AB-6 (Visibility Committee)

This committee is concerned with understanding the effects of air pollution on atmospheric optical conditions. It promotes the use of measurement and modeling techniques.

AB-7 (Indoor Air Quality Committee)

This committee provides a platform for information exchange and fosters research and development about the indoor environment.

AE-1 (Control of Particulate and Associated Acid Gases Committee)

This committee is concerned with all types of equipment used for the removal of particulate matter from gases. It is also concerned with source control and emission to the atmosphere, but not controlled environmental applications.

AE-2 (Control of Solvents, Odors and Gases Committee)

This committee focuses on control technology that deals with all emission sources except particulates and acid gases associated with power plants and incinerator sources such as municipal, hospital and hazardous waste. To that end, the committee identifies, publicizes, promotes, and disseminates information about new developments and successful implementation of conventional technology.

AM-1 (Emission Factors and Inventories Committee)

The objectives of this committee are: 1) To promote interest and appreciation of the importance and role of emission inventories and emission factors as key cornerstones of a technically sound air resource management program; 2) To make available a ready source of information and expertise in air pollution emission inventory and emission factor techniques and applications; 3) To encourage the development and presentation for public discussion of new, innovative, efficient and advanced techniques for use in the evaluating the combined impact of emission source in order to allow logical, economical, and effective control of air pollution; 4) To provide a forum for presentation of independently developed quantifications of emissions from specific sources that may be useful in development of generalized emission factors for use by public and private entities.

AM-2 (Receptor/Source Apportionment Committee)

This committee covers the development, validation and use of various models to identify and quantify the sources of measured air pollution. It focuses on the development of statistical and other models suited to the limitations of data collected in ambient air monitoring systems. It stresses the development of microscopy for quantitative source apportionment.

AM-3 (Ambient Monitoring Committee)

This committee develops, refines, applies, tests, and uses ambient sampling technology and methodology for gases, aerosols, and particulates. It also examines site selection, sample acquisition, sampling methodology, calibration, data acquisition, data analysis, and interpretation and quality assurance.

AM-4 (Source Monitoring Committee)

The objectives of this committee are: 1) to promote the informed use of accepted source emission monitoring measurement methods within A&WMA and the technical community, 2) to make available, within A&WMA, to the technical community, to regulatory agencies, and to legislative committees, a ready source of information and expertise in source emission monitoring, and 3) to encourage the transfer of information, the application of new techniques, and the enhancement of professional capabilities within the area of source emission monitoring.

AM-5 (Data Management Analysis and Quality Assurance Committee)

This committee promotes the use of cost effective and scientifically sound techniques and methodologies for the management, analysis and quality assurance of data in addition to encouraging the development and evolution of new techniques and methodologies in these areas in order to keep pace with advances in scientific understanding and the technology of information delivery systems. In doing so, the Committee ensures a ready source of information and expertise in air and waste management, analysis and quality assurance of data for technical and public decision making.

AT-1 (Toxic Emissions, Releases, Response and Strategies (TERRAS) Committee)

This committee provides a forum for the development and dissemination of information about the air toxics emissions from different source categories and the procedures for estimating these emissions.

AT-3 (Health & Environmental Effects Committee)

The objectives of this committee are: 1) To promote research and to disseminate information about toxic air pollutants, their identification and characterization and particularly, to encourage the development and use of effective methods to measure human and environmental exposures and their effects on human health and environmental, within A&WMA and the technical community; 2) To make available within A&WMA, to the technical community, to regulatory agencies and the legislative committees, a ready source of information and expertise in air and waste management through organizing scientific forums for presentation and discussion of new findings on air toxics and through review articles and informative reports on these issues; 3) To encourage the introduction of innovative approaches to detecting or characterizing the exposures and potential effects of toxic air pollutants as well as assessing their hazards and risks for public health.