Resolving mesoscale variation in aerosol fields from satellite: Is fine resolution worth the hassle? (Invited)

In early 2000 we began receiving global aerosol products from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) at nominal 10 km and 17.5 km resolution, respectively. Aerosol products derived from other satellite sensors such as the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) with spatial resolution nominally at 13 x 12 km later joined these data. Suddenly the global aerosol system popped into focus. For global-scale science, a 10 km product appeared to be adequate. Questions concerning the adequacy of this moderate resolution data set began to arise as the community's interest in satellite-derived aerosol products branched towards more local questions. As of Collection 6, the MODIS aerosol product will now include a fine resolution product at nominal 3 km resolution. What can we learn about mesoscale variation in aerosol fields from this new product? Was the effort worth it? We take advantage of the AERONET DRAGON networks in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., in Korea and in California to compare the accuracy of the MODIS 3 km product with the MODIS 10 km product, and just for fun, with the 6 km Visible Infrared Imager Suite (VIIRS) aerosol product. Do the finer resolution aerosol products show us aerosol features unobtainable by the coarser resolution products? Are the finer resolution products worth the hassle?