Gridded Daily PM2.5 at 1 km × 1 km Resolution from 2005–2025: Ghana

Gridded Daily PM2.5 in Ghana (2005–2025)

Version update (v2.0)

This version extends the dataset coverage till 2025 and includes:

• An additional year (2025) of daily PM2.5 estimates across Ghana
• Gap-filling of missing satellite observations using PM2.5 estimates derived from a MERRA-2-based model
• Improved temporal completeness of the daily PM2.5 dataset

Description

This dataset provides daily estimates of surface PM2.5 concentrations across Ghana at a high spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km. The data are generated by integrating satellite observations, ground-level monitors, and machine learning models, providing consistent spatiotemporal coverage over 21 years (2005-2025).

Key features

• Temporal coverage: 2005–2025 (daily)
• Spatial resolution: 1 km × 1 km grid
• Formats: NetCDF for gridded daily PM2.5; CSV for city-level aggregated daily PM2.5
• Intended use: Air quality research, health impact assessment, environmental policy analysis

File structure

The dataset includes two types of data products:

1. Spatially gridded PM2.5 levels are provided in NetCDF format. 

• “NETCDF_PM25_Ghana_Daily_1km_2005-2025.zip” contains one NETCDF file for each year (21 files in total) in the format below.
• “PM25_Ghana_Daily_1km_YYYY.nc” — daily gridded PM2.5 for year YYYY.

2. City-level daily PM2.5 time series for selected locations are provided in CSV format. 

• “CSV_PM25_Ghana_Cities_Daily_2005-2025.zip” contains one CSV file for each year (21 files in total) in the format below.
• “PM25_Ghana_Cities_Daily_YYYY.csv” — daily PM2.5 in year YYYY for selected cities.
• The cities include: Accra (Greater Accra), Bolgatanga (Upper East), Cape Coast (Central), Dambai (Oti), Damongo (Savannah), Goaso (Ahafo), Ho (Volta), Kintampo* (Bono East), Koforidua (Eastern), Kumasi (Ashanti), Nalerigu (North East), Navrongo* (Upper East), Sefwi Wiawso (Western North), Sekondi-Takoradi (Western), Somanya* (Eastern), Sunyani (Bono), Tamale (Northern), Techiman (Bono East), Tema* (Greater Accra), Wa (Upper West). (* denotes non-capital cities)

Units

PM2.5 concentrations are reported in µg/m3.

Citation

If you use this dataset, please cite both the dataset and the related publications, to acknowledge the data and the underlying methodology:

1. Zenodo DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19636051
2. Westervelt, D. M., Amooli, J. A., & Anand, A. (2025). Twenty Years of High Spatiotemporal Resolution Estimates of Daily PM2.5 in West Africa Using Satellite Data, Surface Monitors, and Machine Learning. ACS ES&T Air.
3. Anand, A., Amooli, J. A., & Westervelt, D. M. (Manuscript in preparation, detailing the methodology for generating a more accurate daily PM2.5 estimates in Ghana and a few applications of the dataset).

BibTeX Citations

1. Dataset:

@dataset{pm25_ghana_2005_2025,

  author       = {Anand, Abhishek and Amooli, Joe A. and Westervelt, Daniel M.},

  title        = {Gridded Daily PM2.5 Estimates for Ghana (2005–2025)},

  year         = {2026},

  publisher    = {Zenodo},

  doi          = {10.5281/zenodo.19636051},

  url          = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19636051}

}

2. Publication:

@article{westervelt2025_pm25,

  author       = {Westervelt, Daniel M. and Amooli, Joe A. and Anand, Abhishek},

  title        = {Twenty Years of High Spatiotemporal Resolution Estimates of Daily PM2.5 in West Africa Using Satellite Data, Surface Monitors, and Machine Learning},

  journal      = {ACS ES&T Air},

  year         = {2025}

}

3. Methodology (in preparation):

@unpublished{anand2025_method,

  author       = {Anand, Abhishek and Amooli, Joe A. and Westervelt, Daniel M.},

  title        = {High Spatiotemporal Resolution PM2.5 Estimation Methodology for Ghana},

  note         = {Manuscript in preparation},

  year         = {2025}

}

Contact

For questions or issues, please contact: 

• aanand@ldeo.columbia.edu
• danielmw@ldeo.columbia.edu

License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)