Calendar Event Details
AEROCENTER: Cynthia Randles
Affiliation: GESTAR/Morgan State University
Event Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Location: G133
Time: 11:00 AM
Aerosol Reanalyses at NASA: MERRAero, SEAC4RS, and MERRA-2
Towards an Integrated Earth System Analysis (IESA), the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) is producing several parallel reanalyses of components of the earth system (ocean, land, and atmospheric composition). For example, the Modern Era Retrospective Reanalysis (MERRA) is the NASA meteorological reanalysis for the satellite era that uses the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System Version 5 (GEOS-5). MERRA focuses on the historical analyses of the hydrological cycle on weather and climate time scales, placing the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) suite of observations in a climate context. To complement the existing MERRA reanalysis, we have recently completed a companion hourly gridded aerosol dataset (MERRAero) where we have assimilated MODIS AOD observations (2002 - present) using GEOS-5 coupled to the GOCART aerosol transport model. This dataset is currently available and can be a useful tool for assessing the impact of aerosols on atmospheric circulation and air quality in the present-day period. Here, I will update the AeroCenter on the evaluation of the MERRAero product with independent field-campaign observations and provide details on how to obtain the data set. As a follow-up to MERRAero, and as part of the SEAC4RS campaign, we completed a high-resolution (~0.25°) mini-reanalysis that includes assimilation of MODIS, AERONET, and MISR (bright surface) AOD. Comparison of the assimilated aerosol fields with field observations show good performance in both the column-integrated aerosol optical depth and the vertical distribution of aerosol backscatter, despite the fact that the assimilation only constrains the AOD. Finally, the upcoming MERRA-2 reanalysis includes parallel assimilation of AVHRR, AERONET, MODIS, and MISR (bright surface) AOD. I will give an update on the progress of MERRA-2 and a preliminary assessment of the aerosol assimilation. Unlike MERRAero, MERRA-2 assimilated aerosols will be available for the entire satellite era (1997 - present) at ~0.5° resolution.
Posted or updated: Friday, February 20, 2015
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