Evaluation of aerosol optical depths and clear-sky radiative fluxes of the CERES Edition 4.1 SYN1deg data product

This variation is largely due to the differing methods of assimilating the MODIS AOD data product and the use of quality flags in our assimilation. Including AODs with larger retrieval uncertainty makes AODs over the convective regions larger. When AODs are used for clear-sky irradiance computations and computed downward shortwave irradiances are compared with ground-based observations, the computed instantaneous irradiances are 1 %-2 % larger than observed irradiances.

The comparison of top-of-atmosphere clear-sky irradiances with those derived from CERES observations suggests that AODs used for surface radiation observation sites are 0.01-0.03 larger, which is within the uncertainty of instantaneous MODIS AODs. However, the comparison with AERONET AODs suggests that AODs used for computations over desert sites are 0.08 larger. The cause of positive biases in downward shortwave irradiance and in AOD for the desert sites is possibly due to the dust particle size and distribution, as defined by the MATCH transport model, and the transfer of that information into the radiative transfer model.