This Global Aerosol Data Set (GADS) is a completely revised version of the aerosol climatology by d'Almeida et al. (1991). The revision was made in close collaboration with Ingrid Schult (former affiliation: MPI Hamburg).
The data now are consistent in number distribution, mass per volume and optical properties. New literature has been included. Aerosols are modeled as 10 components which are described with size distribution and spectral refractive index (on the basis of WCP 55 (1983), d'Almeida et al. (1991), and others). From these data the optical properties are calculated with Mie-Theory at wavelengths between 0.25 µm and 40 µm and for 8 values of relative humidity, if necessary. ( The properties of the aerosol components themselves are available in the software package OPAC (Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds) ). For the entire globe, on a grid of 5 degrees longitude and latitude, with 7 differentiating height profiles, and both for summer and winter, the aerosol at the gridpoints is composed from the aerosol components.
This data set consists of aerosol properties averaged in space and time and therefore is mainly determined for use in climate modelling.
A paper about GADS with a detailed description of the data is available as Report No. 243 of the Max-Planck-Institut für Meteorologie, Hamburg, ISSN 0937-1060:
Koepke, P., M. Hess, I. Schult, and E.P. Shettle (1997): Global Aerosol Data Set.
The GADS data set itself is now available on the anonymous ftp server of our computer center. A short description of the installation procedure and of the data files and the program is also available.
If you have questions or remarks about the contents of GADS, please send
mail to:
Peter Koepke.
Questions concerning the ftp distribution should
go to:
Michael
Hess.