Earth  ID: 10386

Sources of Aerosols

Released on February 19, 2009
Aerosols can occur in nature, but they can also originate from human activity. These animations provide an introduction to four of the varied sources of atmospheric aerosols: cities, forest fires, the ocean, and deserts.
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This animation shows the different sources of aerosols, how they mix in the Earth's atmosphere, and finally disappear by creating sediment or raining out.
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The different sources of aerosols mix on the earth's surface. This animation shows some of the major sources of the different types of aerosols: India (urban haze), desert dust (Northern Africa), biomass burning (California, US), and ocean spray (Pacific Ocean).
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This is the opening scene in a larger animation showing the sources of various types of aerosols. The smog emitted from the city is exaggerated so that the viewer understands that aerosols are coming from the city. The camera follows the path of the aerosol cloud into the sky where it rests on a cloud (aerosols being added to the cloud).
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Oceans are a third source of aerosols. The camera observes sea salt spray aerosols rising into the sky, follows the path downwards to the source (the rocky ocean), and back up into the sky where the aerosols are gathering in a cloud.
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Forest fires are another source of aerosols. This animation shows a forest on fire. The camera follows the aerosols up into the sky.
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Desert sand storms create aerosols. This is the final source animation before the earth mix animation in the final aerosol source movie.
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View of aerosols over the Indian Ocean.
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View of aerosols over the Atlantic Ocean.
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Artist depiction of aerosol pollutants from cities.
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Artist depiction of salt particle aerosols from ocean spray.
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Artist depiction of smoke particle aerosols from forest fires.
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Artist depiction of dust particle aerosols from deserts.

For More Information

http://glory.gsfc.nasa.gov

Credits

Megan Willy (IRC/UMBC): Lead Animator
Maria Frostic (UMBC): Producer
Michael Mishchenko (NASA/GSFC GISS): Scientist
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.
Audio by Michael Willy.

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10386

Mission:
Glory

Data Used:
Glory
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Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

Goddard TV Tape:
G2008-047 -- Glory Resource Reel

Keywords:
DLESE >> Agricultural science
DLESE >> Biology
SVS >> Climate
SVS >> Dust
DLESE >> Forestry
SVS >> Global Warming
SVS >> HDTV
DLESE >> Human geography
DLESE >> Natural hazards
SVS >> Pollution
SVS >> Soot
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Oceans
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Atmosphere >> Aerosols
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Agriculture >> Forest Science >> Forest Fire Science
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Biosphere >> Terrestrial Ecosystems >> Deserts
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Human Dimensions >> Natural Hazards >> Fires
SVS >> Climate Change
SVS >> Glory
NASA Science >> Earth

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0