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Non-spherical assumption of particle shape has been used to replace the spherical assumption in the AVHRR aerosol optical thickness (tau) retrievals for dust particles. Retrieved tau with both spherical and non-spherical assumptions have been compared to the surface AERONET observations at two desert dust sites to evaluate and quantify the effect of non-spherical dust particles on the satellite aerosol retrievals. The errors ( especially the random error) in the satellite retrieved t have been reduced as a result of adopting the non-spherical assumption in the NOAA/NESDIS AVHRR aerosol retrieval algorithm. This result suggests the importance of taking into account the effects of non-sphericity in the retrieval of dust particles from AVHRR measurements.