Earth's atmosphere is a layer of mixed gases approximately 60 miles high that provides the air we breathe, shields us from dangerous levels of ultraviolet light from the sun, and traps enough …

2 days ago · NASA’s Earth-observing satellites help scientists identify atmospheric rivers, which enables studies of climate change, water management, and weather.

NASA's Atmospheric Science Data Center projects focus on Earth science disciplines including radiation budget, clouds, aerosols, and tropospheric composition.

Feb 13, 2025 · NASA’s Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) recently debuted its new GitHub online collaboration and code-sharing page offering tutorials, scripts, and guides for …

Launched in 2002, the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite provides 3D measurements of temperature, water vapor, trace gases, and surface …

Dec 12, 2025 · NASA's Earth satellites collect data about sulfur dioxide and other atmospheric trace gases to study their impact on health, air quality, and weather.

Jan 10, 2022 · Tropospheric soundings from Earth observing satellite instruments provide critical information about atmospheric composition and its impact on human health and climate. …

Dec 12, 2025 · Humidity data from NASA gives researchers measurements essential for determining water vapor's role in the function of Earth and its ecosystems.

Dec 11, 2025 · The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a hyperspectral sounder that collects daily global measurements of water vapor and temperature profiles as one of four instruments …

This backgrounder provides information on essential variables known to be critical for observing and monitoring a given facet of the Earth system.