Seminar: From Smog to Stratospheric Aerosols: NOAA’s Atmospheric Composition Capabilities and Applications

Abstract:

The atmosphere is composed of many different types of trace gases and aerosol particles that affect the air we breathe, the health of our ecosystems, and our changing climate. As our Nation’s environmental intelligence agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is responsible for observing and modeling atmospheric composition and its impacts on air quality, weather, and climate. This presentation will discuss NOAA’s capabilities to quantify atmospheric composition and their applications to understanding environmental issues facing our society. Topics covered will include NOAA research on air quality in the US and across the world, next-generation satellite observing systems for atmospheric composition, incorporating atmospheric composition in NOAA’s operational forecasting systems, and understanding climate forcing from natural and anthropogenic aerosols.