Take The A-Train To Learn About Cloud Pollution Using Satellites
Clouds have typically posed a problem to scientists using satellites to observe the lowest part of the atmosphere because they block the satellite's ability to capture a clear, unobstructed view of Earth's surface. But these "obstructions" are worth a closer look, as clouds and their characteristics actually serve a valuable role in Earth's climate. That closer look is now available by satellites comprising the Afternoon Constellation, or A-Train. The five satellites – NASA's Aqua, Aura, CloudSat and CALIPSO and the French Space Agency's PARASOL – of the A-Train orbit only eight minutes apart and can be thought of as an extended satellite observatory, providing unprecedented information about clouds, aerosols and atmospheric composition. read more
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