Satellite retrieval of aerosol combined with assimilated forecast

Abstract

We developed a new aerosol satellite retrieval algorithm combining a numerical aerosol forecast. In the retrieval algorithm, the short-term forecast from an aerosol data assimilation system was used as an a priori estimate instead of spatially and temporally constant values. This method was demonstrated using observation of the Advanced Himawari Imager onboard the Japan Meteorological Agency's geostationary satellite Himawari-8. Overall, the retrieval results incorporated strengths of the observation and the model and complemented their respective weaknesses, showing spatially finer distributions than the model forecast and less noisy distributions than the original algorithm. We validated the new algorithm using ground observation data and found that the aerosol parameters detectable by satellite sensors were retrieved more accurately than an a priori model forecast by adding satellite information. Further, the satellite retrieval accuracy was improved by introducing the model forecast instead of the constant a priori estimates. By using the assimilated forecast for an a priori estimate, information from previous observations can be propagated to future retrievals, leading to better retrieval accuracy. Observational information from the satellite and aerosol transport by the model are incorporated cyclically to effectively estimate the optimum field of aerosol.