Forecast for distributions of Asian dust and anthropogenic aerosols in east Asian region
National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)
Japan's leading institution for comprehensive research in environmental sciences
The Chemical Weather FORecasting System (CFORS) predicts the distribution of dust, anthropogenic aerosols, and tracers (chemical constituents) in Asia.
CFORS numerically predicts the three-dimensional distribution of aerosols (yellow sand and air pollution particles) or trace gases (hydrocarbons, etc.) in the atmosphere by using information provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) on atmospheric temperature and wind, ground surface conditions estimated by satellites, and the distribution of pollution sources obtained through statistical surveys.
CFORS was developed by Prof. Itsushi Uno and Mr. Koji Ishihara at the Research Institute for Applied Mechanics (RIAM), Kyushu University, and was operated as a research project at Kyushu University. The system migrated to the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in 2002, where it has been in operation.?
The newest update will be made at around 8:00 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Click the figure to go to the animation screen from the previous day to the next 3 days.