Aura's view from space enables us to understand the long-range pathways of pollutants, and early research results using MLS measurements of carbon monoxide have begun to quantify the role of strong convective weather systems and long-range transport of pollution.
Thus, daily satellite observations and continuous in situ measurements are needed to observe the emission and transport of dense aerosol plumes downwind of populated and polluted regions and regions with vegetation fires.
Satellite data from Total Ozone Monitoring Spectrometer (TOMS) instruments have been essential for deriving global trends in UV radiation levels and resolving critical questions about the impacts of increased UV radiation due to stratospheric ozone depletion and changes in aerosols and clouds.
The satellite and its instruments are scheduled to perform their atmospheric studies (see Science) for five years.
Aura is one of a series of satellites in NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS), which supports understanding of the Earth as an integrated system by observing its land surfaces, biosphere, atmosphere and oceans.
Aura is in a "sun-synchronous" orbit that brings the satellite over each latitude at the same local "solar mean time" each day.
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