Forecast and analysis results from assimilation of aerosol optical depth data from NPP VIIRS in a global aerosol model

Aerosol products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) sensor on board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite platform have obtained a status of “provisionally validated”. The VIIRS sensor incorporates several improvements over previous operational sensors including MODIS, most notably higher spatial resolution. The VIIRS aerosol EDR products available from JPSS are generated using algorithms that have a MODIS heritage, but are different from the MODIS aerosol products produced by NASA. We describe how the VIIRS EDR aerosol data are prepared for assimilation in the Navy Variational Data Assimilation System for AOD (NAVDAS-AOD), with detailed examination of specific data quality issues and how they are treated in the satellite data pre-processor. We show results of aerosol analyses and forecasts demonstrating the impact of this data in the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS). Our results will highlight the impacts of data pre-processing and quality assurance on the model results. The role and potential of VIIRS within the current and future constellation of aerosol observing satellite systems is discussed and illustrated with examples from NAVDAS-AOD.