A preliminary study on the correlation between TOMS aerosol index and ground-based measured aerosol optical depth

Abstract. A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV Aerosol Index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and Aerosol Absorption Optical Depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the South African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally-dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons. Finally, during a period where the Asian region was mainly dominated by anthropogenic aerosols, we have performed a qualitative analysis in which the specification of anthropogenic emissions in GEOS-5 is adjusted to provide insight into discrepancies observed in AI comparisons.

Download Full-text

Using the OMI aerosol index and absorption aerosol optical depth to evaluate the NASA MERRA Aerosol Reanalysis

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-15-5743-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 5743-5760 ◽

Cited By ~ 104

Author(s):

V. Buchard ◽

A. M. da Silva ◽

P. R. Colarco ◽

A. Darmenov ◽

C. A. Randles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Properties ◽

Aerosol Optical Depth ◽

Optical Depth ◽

Biomass Burning ◽

Saharan Dust ◽

Aerosol Layer ◽

Anthropogenic Aerosols ◽

Aerosol Absorption ◽

Modis Aod ◽

Aerosol Index

Abstract. A radiative transfer interface has been developed to simulate the UV aerosol index (AI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) aerosol assimilated fields. The purpose of this work is to use the AI and aerosol absorption optical depth (AAOD) derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements as independent validation for the Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Aerosol Reanalysis (MERRAero). MERRAero is based on a version of the GEOS-5 model that is radiatively coupled to the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) aerosol module and includes assimilation of aerosol optical depth (AOD) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Since AI is dependent on aerosol concentration, optical properties and altitude of the aerosol layer, we make use of complementary observations to fully diagnose the model, including AOD from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), aerosol retrievals from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and attenuated backscatter coefficients from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) mission to ascertain potential misplacement of plume height by the model. By sampling dust, biomass burning and pollution events in 2007 we have compared model-produced AI and AAOD with the corresponding OMI products, identifying regions where the model representation of absorbing aerosols was deficient. As a result of this study over the Saharan dust region, we have obtained a new set of dust aerosol optical properties that retains consistency with the MODIS AOD data that were assimilated, while resulting in better agreement with aerosol absorption measurements from OMI. The analysis conducted over the southern African and South American biomass burning regions indicates that revising the spectrally dependent aerosol absorption properties in the near-UV region improves the modeled-observed AI comparisons. Finally, during a period where the Asian region was mainly dominated by anthropogenic aerosols, we have performed a qualitative analysis in which the specification of anthropogenic emissions in GEOS-5 is adjusted to provide insight into discrepancies observed in AI comparisons.

Download Full-text

Astronomical extinction over the ELT Moroccan sites from aerosol satellite data

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921307006813 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 2 (SPS5) ◽

pp. 107-110

Author(s):

El Arbi Siher ◽

Zouhair Benkhaldoun ◽

Aziza Bounhir

Keyword(s):

Canary Islands ◽

Satellite Data ◽

National Observatory ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

Toms Aerosol Index ◽

Two Parameters ◽

Aerosol Index

AbstractTwo Moroccan sites have been selected to be characterized for the ELT telescopes. Those sites are in the Atlas, between Oukaïmeden (where the national observatory is situated) and the Canary Islands. For this preliminary study, we have used the Nimbus-7 TOMS aerosol index to derive the astronomical extinction. This work builds on the findings of an earlier study which established the link between these two parameters over the Canary Islands.

Download Full-text

An Aerosol Optical Depth time series 1982–2014 for atmospheric correction based on OMI and TOMS Aerosol Index

10.5194/amt-2016-180 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Emmihenna Jääskeläinen ◽

Terhikki Manninen ◽

Johanna Tamminen ◽

Marko Laine

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Aerosol Optical Depth ◽

Optical Depth ◽

Surface Albedo ◽

Atmospheric Correction ◽

In Situ Measurements ◽

Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽

Data Set ◽

Aerosol Index

Abstract. The atmospheric correction of old optical satellite data is problematic, because corresponding Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) measurements in the visible wavelength range do not exist. The construction of an AOD time series for atmospheric correction purposes to cover the period 1982–2014 is described in this paper. The AOD estimates are calculated from the Aerosol Index (AI) data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). We apply this time series to the generation of the surface albedo data set CLARA-A2-SAL (the Surface ALbedo from the CM SAF cLoud, Albedo and RAdiation data set, the second version). The constructed AOD time series is temporally homogeneous, and it has sufficient quality compared to the AOD from OMI observations and from in situ measurements. The simulated atmospheric correction calculations, where the constructed AOD data are used as an aerosol input, are similar to the simulations where the aerosol information from OMI and in situ measurements is used. Also, the simulations show that the use of the constructed AOD time series decreases the surface reflectance values (the output of the atmospheric correction) globally compared to the use of the constant AOD value 0.1.

Download Full-text