EDUCATION: URBANMAAP

Aerosols Study: Background Material

Aerosols are small liquid or solid particles in the air that can scatter or absorb sunlight. Optical depth is the term that is used to describe the amount of extinction (absorption and scattering). UrbanMAAP is designed to obtain optical depth information during IOPs held at schools around the country. These student measured optical depths, provide constraints for studying aerosols, air quality and the potential health effects of aerosols. By measuring the amount of sunlight reaching the surface with a sunphotometer, students will contribute useful scientific data while learning important measurement and research processes.

Background Material

Aerosols and Climate Change, NASA Earth Observatory:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Aerosols/

How do Aerosols Affect Earth's Climate and Our Health, NASA GISS:
http://icp.giss.nasa.gov/about/newsletter/v3i1/rsedv3i1_aerosols.pdf  (PDF file: 116 KB)

Aerosols in the Atmosphere, NASA GISS:
http://icp.giss.nasa.gov/research/ppa/1997/reyes/

Carlson. When Hazy Skies are Rising. Scientific American: May 1997

Project Introduction

Review and discuss UrbanMAAP viewgraphs and project goals

Viewgraph 1

In UrbanMAAP Science Research and Education Goals Go Hand-In-Hand SCIENCE PROBLEM FOCUS Studying potentially significant relationships between asthma and the tiny atmospheric particles found in the air we breathe -- aerosols/p> RESEARCH EDUCATION GOAL To engage students/educators as real collaborators with scientists and environmental health experts to contribute to NASA's Human Health, Environment and Climate Initiative

Viewgraph 2

UrbanMAAP Takes Advantage of NASA's Mission and Resources -- The Climate Research Connection Understanding the role aerosols plan in regulating and changing Earth's climate is a high priority. For NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, the global change research community and national/global policy-makers

Image: 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo

Viewgraph 3

NASA looks at Earth from many vantage points to learn how the system works - This interdisciplinary perspective is essential to quantify aerosol's forcing on climate, to improve models for predicting climate and to assess impacts on human health

Satellite images of earth seen to left. Different colors provide scientists with information to study earth's characteristics. How can we describe the regional characteristics portrayed in this images? Temperature record from data collected from weather stations seen to right. What are the trends in US and Global Temperature?

Additional material can be found in the project Library

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