diff --git a/parm/archive/gdas.yaml.j2 b/parm/archive/gdas.yaml.j2
index f3db8b98f1..1a0e9725f0 100644
--- a/parm/archive/gdas.yaml.j2
+++ b/parm/archive/gdas.yaml.j2
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ gdas:
         - "{{ COMIN_ATMOS_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}radstat"
             {% endif %}
             {% if DO_AERO_ANL %}
-        - "{{ COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aerostat"
+        - "{{ COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aerostat.tgz"
             {% endif %}
             {% if DO_PREP_OBS_AERO %}
         - "{{ COMIN_OBS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aeroobs"
diff --git a/parm/archive/gfs_arcdir.yaml.j2 b/parm/archive/gfs_arcdir.yaml.j2
index 98803b473c..a4e99c9d0a 100644
--- a/parm/archive/gfs_arcdir.yaml.j2
+++ b/parm/archive/gfs_arcdir.yaml.j2
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
     {% endif %}
 
     {% if DO_AERO_ANL %}
-        {% do det_anl_files.append([COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS ~ "/" ~ head ~ "aerostat",
-                                    ARCDIR ~ "/aerostat." ~ RUN ~ "." ~ cycle_YMDH ]) %}
+        {% do det_anl_files.append([COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS ~ "/" ~ head ~ "aerostat.tgz",
+                                    ARCDIR ~ "/aerostat." ~ RUN ~ "." ~ cycle_YMDH ~ ".tgz"]) %}
     {% endif %}
 
     {% if DO_PREP_OBS_AERO == True %}
diff --git a/parm/archive/gfsa.yaml.j2 b/parm/archive/gfsa.yaml.j2
index a7cfaafcd5..db03d642c0 100644
--- a/parm/archive/gfsa.yaml.j2
+++ b/parm/archive/gfsa.yaml.j2
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ gfsa:
         - "{{ COMIN_ATMOS_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}gsistat"
         {% endif %}
         {% if DO_AERO_ANL %}
-        - "{{ COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aerostat"
+        - "{{ COMIN_CHEM_ANALYSIS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aerostat.tgz"
         {% endif %}
         {% if DO_PREP_OBS_AERO %}
         - "{{ COMIN_OBS | relpath(ROTDIR) }}/{{ head }}aeroobs"
diff --git a/ush/python/pygfs/task/aero_analysis.py b/ush/python/pygfs/task/aero_analysis.py
index de9360a9ac..b88ee6e480 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygfs/task/aero_analysis.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygfs/task/aero_analysis.py
@@ -167,10 +167,10 @@ def finalize(self) -> None:
         # ---- tar up diags
         # path of output tar statfile
         logger.info('Preparing observation space diagnostics for archiving')
-        aerostat = os.path.join(self.task_config.COMOUT_CHEM_ANALYSIS, f"{self.task_config['APREFIX']}aerostat")
+        aerostat = os.path.join(self.task_config.COMOUT_CHEM_ANALYSIS, f"{self.task_config['APREFIX']}aerostat.tgz")
 
         # get list of diag files to put in tarball
-        diags = glob.glob(os.path.join(self.task_config['DATA'], 'diags', 'diag*nc4'))
+        diags = glob.glob(os.path.join(self.task_config['DATA'], 'diags', 'diag*nc'))
 
         # gzip the files first
         for diagfile in diags:
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def finalize(self) -> None:
         FileHandler(aero_var_final_list).sync()
 
         # open tar file for writing
-        with tarfile.open(aerostat, "w") as archive:
+        with tarfile.open(aerostat, "w|gz") as archive:
             for diagfile in diags:
                 diaggzip = f"{diagfile}.gz"
                 archive.add(diaggzip, arcname=os.path.basename(diaggzip))