Testing the accuracy of a data assimilation algorithm

Variational data assimilation techniques have been successfully used in connection with comprehensive research projects in different fields of science and engineering. The use of the variational data assimilation approach is becoming more and more popular also in the attempts to improve the accuracy of the results obtained by running large-scale air pollution models. Different tests were carried out in order both to check the ability of the data assimilation procedures to improve the initial concentrations and to start building up a benchmark for testing the performance of these procedures on different modern high-speed computers. Selected results from these tests will be presented and discussed in this paper.