Glory be! NASA wants to Send Your Name Around The Earth

by William Atkins

Saturday, 27 September 2008

Page 1 of 3 ! According to the news release “Send Your Name Around The Earth On NASA's Glory Mission,” NASA says that “Members of the public can send their names around Earth on NASA's Glory satellite.” Information for this article is based on the September 25, 2008 NASA media release "Send Your Name Around The Earth On NASA's Glory Mission." The Glory website states, “Be a part of the first mission dedicated to understanding the effects of aerosols and solar variability on climate by sending your name around the Earth!” The Glory satellite will measure the chemical, micro-physical, and optical properties of airborne particles (known as “aerosols”) from its low-Earth orbit in space. The scientific research satellite will also measure the spatial (relating to the three dimensions of space) and temporal (relating to time) distribution of aerosol particles and black carbon (soot). Aerosols are miniscule particles, such as smog and dust, found in the Earth’s atmosphere. U.S. physicist Michael Mishchenko is the NASA project scientist for the Glory mission. He is based out of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, in New York City. Mishchenko talks about the importance in studying aerosols in the atmosphere. He states, "Undoubtedly, greenhouse gases cause the biggest climatic effect. But the uncertainty in the aerosol effect is the biggest uncertainty in climate at the present." As such, Glory will help determine whether climate changes are by-products of natural events or caused by human activity, or a combination of the two. Where should you go to sign up your name for a mission around the Earth? Please read on. << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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