Earth  ID: 11885

The Particle Puzzle

Story by Ellen T. Gray Released on June 2, 2015
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How will clouds and aerosols shape Earth’s future climate?
The two variables that still create the most uncertainty about how future climate change will unfold are clouds and tiny airborne particles called aerosols. Some clouds reflect the sun’s rays while others trap outgoing heat that would otherwise be emitted to space. Likewise, some aerosols scatter light and cause a cooling effect while others absorb light and cause a heating effect. Aerosols can also seed clouds, further complicating the picture. For more than a decade, scientists have used NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites to create a continuous, long-term record of clouds and aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere. The observations will ultimately help scientists better understand their mysterious ways. Explore the images for satellite views of different types of airborne particles seen across the globe.
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Dust from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan blows over the Arabian Sea.
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Ash rises from an island volcano in Indonesia.
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Air pollution covers Beijing, China, in a thick haze of smog.
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Smoke from wildfires in British Columbia drifts over Canada.
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Clouds seeded by particles released from the exhaust of ships formed these crisscrossing trails above the Pacific Ocean.

Story Credits

Lead Writer:
Ellen T. Gray (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Cover image courtesy of NASA/JSC/Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit
Satellite images courtesy of NASA/GSFC/MODIS Rapid Response Team

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11885

Keywords:
SVS >> App
NASA Science >> Earth