GEOS-Chem AOD was evaluated for the first time with AERONET and MISR data in China.
GEOS-Chem underestimates the water-soluble AOD west of the Heihe-Tengchong Line.
GOCART soot distribution in the Northeast and Southeast of China has significant errors.
MISR misidentifies dust and non-dust aerosol mixtures in desert source regions of China.