Abstract. The Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation threedimensional variational data assimilation (DA) system coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting/Chemistry (WRF/Chem) model was utilized to improve aerosol forecasts and study aerosol direct and semi-direct radiative feedbacks during a US wild fire event. Assimilation of MODIS total 550 nm aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals clearly improved WRF/Chem forecasts of surface PM 2.5 and organic carbon (OC) compared to the corresponding forecasts without aerosol data assimilation. The scattering aerosols in the fire downwind region typically cooled layers both above and below the aerosol layer and suppressed convection and clouds, which led to an average of 2 % precipitation decrease during the fire week. This study demonstrated that, even with no input of fire emissions, AOD DA improved the aerosol forecasts and allowed a more realistic model simulation of aerosol radiative effects.
Abstract. The Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation three-dimensional variational data assimilation (DA) system coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting/Chemistry (WRF/Chem) model was utilized to improve aerosol forecasts and study aerosol direct and semi-direct radiative feedbacks during a US wild fire event. Assimilation of MODIS total 550 nm aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals clearly improved WRF/Chem forecasts of surface PM2.5 and organic carbon (OC) compared to the corresponding forecasts without aerosol data assimilation. The scattering aerosols in the fire downwind region typically cooled layers both above and below the aerosol layer and suppressed convection and clouds, which led to an average 2% precipitation decease during the fire week. This study demonstrated that even with no input of fire emissions, AOD DA improved the aerosol forecasts and allowed a more realistic model simulation of aerosol radiative effects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.