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[music playing]
[Narrator] Aerosols are suspended throughout Earth's atmosphere, and the tiny, varied particles
play a mysterious role in human induced climate change. Just like people, every aerosol particle
is unique. Sometimes aerosols occur naturally, from things like volcanoes, but they can also
originate from human activity. Aerosols are short-lived, but have an active lifetime!
In just a short expanse of time, particles can change their size and composition and
even travel across vast oceans. Aerosols are difficult to study, and one important new
area of research involves how these particles impact clouds. Without aerosols, clouds could
not exist.
[Michael Mishchenko] An aerosol particle can serve as a cloud condensation nucleus.
[Narrator] The introduction of too many aerosols will modify a cloud's natural properties.
[Michael Mishchenko] The more aerosol particles we have in the atmosphere, the more cloud
droplets we can have.
[Narrator] Clouds play an important role in regulating Earth's climate; aerosol-rich clouds
become bigger, brighter, and longer lasting. Aerosols impact clouds in other ways. Some
aerosol particles primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the atmosphere, and others
absorb radiation, which warms the air. When aerosols heat the atmosphere, they create
an environment where clouds can't thrive. The suppression of clouds leads to further
warming of the atmosphere by solar radiation. Researchers are still working to understand
the role of these curious particles.
[Michael Mishchenko] We need to study the distribution of particles globally, and the
only way to do that is from satellites.
[Narrator] New tools will soon help scientists study aerosols. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor,
or APS, is among a suite of instruments onboard NASA's upcoming Glory mission. The APS will
provide a global dataset of aerosol distribution with unprecedented accuracy and specificity.
Unique data from the Glory mission, along with NASA's fleet of Earth observing satellites,
will help researchers investigate the intricacies of Earth's changing climate.
[music playing]
[wind blowing]