A review of aerosol distributions produced using NCEP operational forecast products and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis

During the last five years we have used NCEP assimilation products to produce a 20 year estimate of aerosol distributions (a climatology) and to produce daily real time aerosol forecasts. We will discuss the differences in estimates produced from the two meteorological estimates, as well as strengths and deficiencies in the aerosol estimates. The aerosol distributions will be compared to in-situ aerosol measurements from field programs and to space based estimates produced over the last 20 years. We will attempt to characterize the results in terms of deficiencies in the meteorogical fields and those that are independent of the meteorology.