Beyond the “Big-Leaf” Model in the UFS: Use of Novel Satellite Data and Forest Canopy Processes to Improve U.S. Air Quality Predictions
George Mason University’s (GMU) Center for Satellite and Earth Science Research (CSER) and NOAA’s Air Resources Lab have advanced NOAA’s Unified Forecast System-Air Quality Model (UFS-AQM) beyond its “Big-Leaf” canopy approximation by using detailed forest canopy processes and novel satellite data that can ultimately improve air quality predictions in the U.S. This critical enhancement helps…