361
What Is Aura and What Does It Do?
82
o
F or more are shown in yellow and orange. By knowing where the conditions
are right, scientists can forecast the potential for hurricane development. See
Hands-on Application 12.3: Aqua Products and the Visible Earth for more about
AMSR-E and the other Aqua instruments.
What Is Aura and What Does It Do?
The Aura EOS satellite was designed as a collaboration between NASA and
agencies in Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Latin, “Aura”
means “breeze,” which helps describe the satellite’s mission—examination of
elements in the air, especially the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere. Aura orbits
in formation with Aqua and other EOS satellites to form what is referred to as
the A-Train of satellites. As an aside, the A-Train was to be joined by another
satellite, OCO, launched in 2009. Unfortunately, however, OCO did not achieve
orbit, leaving the A-Train one satellite short of its projected configuration.
Aura An important
EOS satellite
dedicated to
monitoring Earth’s
atmospheric chemistry.
A-Train Another term
for the Afternoon
Constellation.
The Visible Earth is a content-rich online resource
set up by NASA for examining applications of the
EOS Missions. Graphics and animations are also
searchable by geographic region or by event. For
instance, if you wanted to view graphics related to
water quality, a variety of imagery is available from
numerous sensors (and not just limited to the three
EOS satellites described in this chapter). Animations
of data showing changes over time or short video
clips of simulations of satellite orbit or sensors are
available as well.
To examine some of the Aqua applications, first
open your Web browser and go to http://visibleearth.
nasa.gov, then the option for Satellites, and then the
option for Aqua. All of the Visible Earth categories for
Aqua will be displayed. Select a few categories. What
types of uses are Aqua’s instruments monitoring?
Specific subcategories for Aqua’s instruments
are also available to examine:
1. AIRS Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=63
2. AMSR-E Applications: http://visibleearth.
nasa.gov/view_set.php?sensorID=61
3. CERES Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=62
4. HSB Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=231
5. MODIS Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=64
After examining how the Aqua instruments are
used, be sure to check out a few specific applications (including some of those previously discussed)
to see how Aqua instruments are applied to the
following topics:
1. How clouds affect Earth’s radiation: http://
visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=103
2. How sea surface temperature affects
hurricane locations: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_rec.php?id=13853
3. How the AIRS Suite is used for studying
tropical storms: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/
view_rec.php?id=3439
4. Using AMSR-E to measure extent of sea ice:
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.
php?id=3621
Hands-on Application 12.3
Aqua Products and the Visible Earth
What Is Aura and What Does It Do?
82
o
F or more are shown in yellow and orange. By knowing where the conditions
are right, scientists can forecast the potential for hurricane development. See
Hands-on Application 12.3: Aqua Products and the Visible Earth for more about
AMSR-E and the other Aqua instruments.
What Is Aura and What Does It Do?
The Aura EOS satellite was designed as a collaboration between NASA and
agencies in Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Latin, “Aura”
means “breeze,” which helps describe the satellite’s mission—examination of
elements in the air, especially the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere. Aura orbits
in formation with Aqua and other EOS satellites to form what is referred to as
the A-Train of satellites. As an aside, the A-Train was to be joined by another
satellite, OCO, launched in 2009. Unfortunately, however, OCO did not achieve
orbit, leaving the A-Train one satellite short of its projected configuration.
Aura An important
EOS satellite
dedicated to
monitoring Earth’s
atmospheric chemistry.
A-Train Another term
for the Afternoon
Constellation.
The Visible Earth is a content-rich online resource
set up by NASA for examining applications of the
EOS Missions. Graphics and animations are also
searchable by geographic region or by event. For
instance, if you wanted to view graphics related to
water quality, a variety of imagery is available from
numerous sensors (and not just limited to the three
EOS satellites described in this chapter). Animations
of data showing changes over time or short video
clips of simulations of satellite orbit or sensors are
available as well.
To examine some of the Aqua applications, first
open your Web browser and go to http://visibleearth.
nasa.gov, then the option for Satellites, and then the
option for Aqua. All of the Visible Earth categories for
Aqua will be displayed. Select a few categories. What
types of uses are Aqua’s instruments monitoring?
Specific subcategories for Aqua’s instruments
are also available to examine:
1. AIRS Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=63
2. AMSR-E Applications: http://visibleearth.
nasa.gov/view_set.php?sensorID=61
3. CERES Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=62
4. HSB Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=231
5. MODIS Applications: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_set.php?sensorID=64
After examining how the Aqua instruments are
used, be sure to check out a few specific applications (including some of those previously discussed)
to see how Aqua instruments are applied to the
following topics:
1. How clouds affect Earth’s radiation: http://
visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=103
2. How sea surface temperature affects
hurricane locations: http://visibleearth.nasa.
gov/view_rec.php?id=13853
3. How the AIRS Suite is used for studying
tropical storms: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/
view_rec.php?id=3439
4. Using AMSR-E to measure extent of sea ice:
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.
php?id=3621
Hands-on Application 12.3
Aqua Products and the Visible Earth