Current progress and boundaries
Remote sensing and environmental sensors are used for pollution monitoring, but a single data source often shows change without establishing its cause.
Why it remains difficult
Differences in sensor calibration, sampling frequency, and spatial resolution can create spurious correlations. Source attribution still requires field investigation and expert judgment.
Paths worth exploring
Limit model output to leads that need verification and record data sources and timestamps. Plan additional sampling to distinguish among competing explanations.
How to evaluate success
Compare lead confirmation rates, time to field verification, false-alarm costs, and stability across monitoring sites, and disclose uncertainty ranges.