Data Visualization Help

Hi all, I am first time PurpleAir user and would like some help with visualizing the data I downloaded from my sensors onto graphs. I am envisioning creating a graph that shows air quality trends over the last six months. I am what you can call and “excel noob” and I don’t really understand what the different categories in the data downloaded means. Any help or leads pointing me to the right direction would be greatly appreciated!

The fields are explained on the API landing page under ‘Get Sensor Data’.

You can start by plotting the pm2.5 value – this is the most common variable tracked for air quality. The actual number is going to be inaccurate (it needs adjustment due to the way the sensor converts the data) but it should still provide a visual trend indication. The trend lines should follow reasonably closely with data from local air quality agencies.

If you’re seeing any weird spikes, you’ll want to plot the pm2.5_a and pm2.5_b values separately to check for any individual sensor glitches.