ABSTRACT: Satellite-based remote sensing could serve as an alternative to station-based PM 2.5 monitoring because of its large spatial coverage. The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility of using MODIS AOD data for PM2.5 monitoring in the state of North Carolina (NC), United States. In this study, spatialtemporal correlation between MODIS AOD and ground PM2.5 was examined at daily, monthly and seasonal levels after corresponding values were matched for AOD and PM2.5. Temporal AOD-PM2.5 correlation was also examined for each Air Now PM2.5 station in NC. Results revealed that there was no statistically significant spatial correlation between the MODIS AOD and ground PM2.5 in NC at daily level in 2011. The temporal correlation between MODIS AOD and ground PM2.5 was statistically significant for every station in NC in 2011. This significant correlation will help develop a practical method for statewide PM2.5 monitoring using MODIS AOD in the U.S.

Keywords – AOD-PM2.5, correlation, spatial, spatial-temporal, temporal