CALIPSO

While many people know that pollution has serious effects on our air quality, fewer are aware of the fact that Earth's energy emissions can actually change the weather. With the launch of the CALIPSO satellite, NASA intends to discover just how much aerosol layers impact the clouds that protect our climate.
 
CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations. The satellite was created to study the formation of cloud and aerosol layers and to observe the relationship between these two substances and our atmosphere.
 
Aerosols Defined
Aerosols are any small liquid or solid particles that maintain a presence in our atmosphere for extended periods of time. Dust, bacteria and crystals of sea salt are all types of aerosols. While many people typically think of aerosols as air pollutants, a large amount of aerosols in our atmosphere are natural, non-pollutant substances.
 
Since its launch on April 28, 2006, CALIPSO has captured the first worldwide snapshots of cloud and aerosol formations. Obtaining this kind of broad picture allows us to see how geography and the changing seasons affect cloud and aerosol layers.
 
CALIPSO joins four sister satellites that fly in a formation called the "A-Train." They orbit together as part of the Earth Observing Satellites (EOS) team in which a series of satellites all share similar research goals. A sixth satellite is planned to join the A-Train in December 2008.
 
Estimated to last three years, the Calipso satellite mission represents a joint venture between NASA and the French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES).

The Objectives of the CALIPSO Mission

The clouds in our atmosphere form a basic cushion around the Earth. They protect us from the heat emitted by the sun and serve as a buffer for the energy that bounces off of the Earth's surface and back into the atmosphere.
 
Like clouds, aerosols also have the ability to absorb heat and affect temperature. The CALIPSO mission aims to better understand clouds and aerosols while analyzing what, in particular, reduces their abilities to control our climate. The satellite was created to perform the following tasks:
  • to capture the altitude of aerosol layers and better understand how they travel through our atmosphere
  • to determine just how long aerosols can survive in our atmosphere
  • to measure the amount of aerosols being produced throughout the world
  • to provide global 3-D pictures of cloud and aerosol layers
  • to study the formation of and interaction between aerosol and cloud layers.

The Importance of the CALIPSO Mission

The most immediate benefit of the CALIPSO mission will be an improvement in our ability to forecast weather here on Earth. Other noteworthy achievements of the CALIPSO mission include being able to:
  • measure pollution: Not all aerosols are created by us here on Earth. Many other naturally occurring aerosols also make their way into the atmosphere. Understanding how clouds and aerosols work together can help us continue to monitor pollution and improve the quality of our air and climate.
  • predict air quality:By better understanding the aerosol and cloud layers that protect our planet, we forecast harmful air quality and send out timely alerts.
  • predict climate changes: With CALIPSO's help, we will better understand all of the factors that can change our climate, helping us to foresee significant climate changes that may take place in the future.
With the launch of the CALIPSO satellite, NASA takes one more giant leap in advancing our ability to predict weather and safeguard our environment.
 
Resources
 
NASA Facts (2005). Calipso: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the NASA Web site.
 
NASA Mission News (2005). NASA Will Reveal Secrets of Clouds and Aerosols. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the NASA Web site.
 
NASA Mission News (2006). NASA Launches Satellites for Weather, Climate, air Quality Studies. Retrieved February 6, 2008, from the NASA Web site.