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Aura Science
Observations

TES Science Observations


Convective entrainment rates estimated from Aura CO and CloudSat and CALIPSO observations Convective entrainment rates estimated from Aura CO and CloudSat/CALIPSO observations

Entrainment rate in convective parameterizations is one of the most sensitive, yet uncertain, parameters affecting climate sensitivity, clouds, precipitation, and trace gas distributions.

 The 2018 National Academies' Decadal Survey Highlights Aura Data to Demonstrate the Power of Satellite Data for Science & Societal Benefit  The 2018 National Academies' Decadal Survey Highlights Aura Data to Demonstrate the Power of Satellite Data for Science & Societal Benefit

In "Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space" Aura data were presented as examples of satellite observations used as a global monitoring system for air quality & health and stratospheric ozone.

Investigating peroxyacyl nitrate in North American biomass burning plumes  Investigating peroxyacyl nitrate in North American biomass burning plumes : Using Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) retrievals

Peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) is a critical atmospheric reservoir for nitrogen oxide radicals, and plays a lead role in their redistribution in the troposphere.

Multiple Aura Datasets Contribute to the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) Multiple Aura Datasets Contribute to the Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR)

In the troposphere, ozone is both a major pollutant and a strong greenhouse gas. Although spaceborne and ground-based observations largely agree on the overall tropospheric ozone loading, estimates of decadal-scale trends vary significantly between datasets.

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Identifying large biomass burning contribution to urban pollution

The suite of TES observations allows quantification of the impact of seasonal biomass burning pollution on the already poor air quality of the world's megacities.

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Quantifying urban pollution production, transformation & export

TES measurements of key chemical species allow us to examine not only air quality within the megacity, but also the regional and larger-scale implications of Mexico City pollution as it is transported out of the urban area.

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TES measurements demonstrate ammonia emissions are under-reported

Ammonia (NH3) pungently affects air quality. It is also involved in the formation of aerosol PM2.5 particles, which have adverse health effects, and impacts soil acidification, biodiversity, and the nitrogen cycle.

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NASA Ozone Study May Benefit Air Standards

(Science Daily article)
A new NASA-led study uses TES data to find that when it comes to combating global warming caused by emissions of ozone-forming chemicals, location matters.

TES Water Vapor Isotope Data used to Evaluate Moisture Processes in Climate Models

Differences between TES data and climate models are due to rainfall, evaporation and mixing processes....

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The Global Carbon Cycle

04.2011 - TES measurements provide constraints on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and uptake and methane (CH4) emissions.

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TES Water Vapor Isotopes

04.2011 - Stable isotopes from TES is used to constrain convective parameterization in a climate model.

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The greenhouse effect of tropospheric ozone

04.2011 - This map shows the longwave radiative effect of infrared radiation absorbed by tropospheric ozone as estimated from TES top-of- atmosphere observations.

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Ammonia from TES


04.2011 - TES captures the variability of ammonia over the Earth's surface.

TES ammonia over farming regions

TES ammonia over farming regions

TES retrievals show consistent dependence on concentration of livestock facilities

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TES Sensitivity

TES CO2 data are being used to estimate CO2 surface fluxes

Atmospheric moisture recycling

How does atmospheric moisture recycling contribute to tropical humidity?

TES vapor isotope measurements provide details about moist processes in the atmosphere and how they should be represented in climate models.

CO-Ozone

CO-Ozone constraints on chemistry-climate models

Global correlation patterns of ozone and CO derived from TES observations and model simulations

Aura Science Result Image

TES Hunts the Trail of Earth's Water

For the first time, NASA scientists have used a shrewd spaceborne detective to track the origin and movement of water vapor throughout Earth's atmosphere.

TES Tropospheric maps

First Maps of Tropospheric Ozone & Carbon Monoxide

Coincident measurements of tropospheric ozone and carbon monoxide are critical for understanding chemical and dynamical processes, which can be very complex in the troposphere.

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First Global Observations of HDO/H2O ratio - A Tracer of Global Hydrological Processes

The hydrological cycle acts differently in different location. The TES measurements show that in the tropics, re-evaporation of precipitation is an important process controlling cloud formation.

Aura Science Result Image

TES HDO / H20 (Surface- 550 hPa)

HDO measurements tell us about ice cloud formation and evaporation. This is the first map of HDO ever made.

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TES Carbon Monoxide

High values of CO near biomass burning regions and NH cities. CO in the upper trop is lofted by convection and fires.

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TES Special Observation: Nadir Step & Stare

The AIRS-visible images (left) show the TES footprint locations (blue) over a variety of cloud and surface conditions.