Unleashing Realistic Air Quality Forecasting: Introducing the Ready-to-Use PurpleAirSF Dataset
Air quality forecasting has garnered significant attention recently, with
data-driven models taking center stage due to advancements in machine learning
and deep learning models. However, researchers face challenges with complex
data acquisition and the lack of open-sourced datasets, hindering efficient
model validation. This paper introduces PurpleAirSF, a comprehensive and easily
accessible dataset collected from the PurpleAir network. With its high temporal
resolution, various air quality measures, and diverse geographical coverage,
this dataset serves as a useful tool for researchers aiming to develop novel
forecasting models, study air pollution patterns, and investigate their impacts
on health and the environment. We present a detailed account of the data
collection and processing methods employed to build PurpleAirSF. Furthermore,
we conduct preliminary experiments using both classic and modern
spatio-temporal forecasting models, thereby establishing a benchmark for future
air quality forecasting tasks.