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Satellite Observations of Tropospheric ChemistryThe troposphere is an essential component of the earth's life support system as well as the gateway for the exchange of chemicals between different geochemical reservoirs of the earth. The chemistry of the troposphere is sensitive to perturbation from a wide range of natural phenomena and human activities. The societal concern has been greatly enhanced in recent decades due to ever increasing pressures of population growth and industrialization. Chemical changes within the troposphere control a vast array of processes that impact human health, the biosphere, and climate. A main goal of tropospheric chemistry research is to measure and understand the response of atmospheric composition to natural and anthropogenic perturbations, and to develop the capability to predict future change. Atmospheric chemistry measurements are extremely challenging due to the low concentrations of critical species and the vast scales over which the observations must be made. Available tropospheric data are mainly from surface sites and aircraft missions. Because of the limited temporal extent of aircraft observations, we have very limited information on tropospheric composition above the surface. This situation can be contrasted to the stratosphere, where satellites have provided critical and detailed chemical data on the global distribution of key trace gases.
Document ID
20010085780
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Singh, Hanwant B. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Jacob, Daniel J. (Harvard Univ. Cambridge, MA United States)
Hipskind, R. Stephen
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 13, 2001
Subject Category
Geophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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