Near-real-time aerosol verification on-line (Successful 1st MACC General Assembly)

The operational verification of the aerosol analysis/forecasting system is available on the MACC web site from 9 January 2010. Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values from the short-term forecast are compared to the observed values from the AERONET on a daily basis.

The MACC team as well as the users have now the option to monitor the quality of the aerosol monitoring system.

MACC is the FP7 project that is currently providing the pre-operational version of the GMES Atmosphere Service.

The near-real-time aerosol verification data are available on the MACC website

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) welcomed more than 120 visitors to the First General Assembly of the MACC project, which was held from 11 to 15 January 2010.
The aim of the Assembly was to review and present the project’s progress to date and plans for the coming year. This was achieved through a set of parallel meetings on individual themes, followed by plenary presentations and discussions.
The Assembly also included a plenary session devoted to user requirements, plans and initial feedback. Training lectures were provided as well, and there were meetings of the Advisory and Management Boards for the project.
MACC is the FP7 project that is currently providing the pre-operational version of the GMES Atmosphere Service.
Presentations from the plenary sessions are now available on the MACC website

MACC, which stands for Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate, started on 1st June 2009 and will run for 29 months. The project has an estimated total cost in excess of EUR 16 Millions and is partly funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme. MACC builds on the work of the FP6 projects GEMS and the ESA-funded GMES Service Element project PROMOTE.
MACC monitors the global distributions and long-range transport of greenhouse gases such has carbon dioxide and methane, aerosols that result from both natural processes and human activities, and reactive gases such as tropospheric ozone and nitrogen dioxide. It evaluates how these constituents influence climate and estimates their sources and sinks.
MACC also provides specific products covering Europe:

  • Maps and data for regional air-quality forecasts;
  • Retrospective assessments of air quality;
  • Identifications of sources of pollution episodes;
  • Toolbox for evaluating possible emergency emission control measures;
  • Inputs to local air-quality forecasts, health information and warnings.
    Access atmospheric environmental services
    MACC is undertaken by a consortium led by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and composed of 45 partners. For more information and access to the services, please visit www.gmes-atmosphere.eu
    A more detailed description of the project is also available in the project database available on this website.

SOURCE GMES:INFO

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