NASA NASA
Earth Observatory Earth Observatory
Search Icon
NASA Earth Observatory

Aerosol Optical Depth

Fire Fire
Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 1 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 2 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 3 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 4 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 5 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 6 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 7 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 8 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 9 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 10 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 11 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 12 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 13 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 14 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 15 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 16 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 17 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 18 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 19 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 20 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 21 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 22 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 23 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 24 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 25 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 26 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 27 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 28 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 29 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 30 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 31 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 32 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 33 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 34 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 35 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 36 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 37 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 38 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 39 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 40 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 41 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 42 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 43 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 44 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 45 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 46 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 47 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 48 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 49 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 50 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 51 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 52 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 53 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 54 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 55 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 56 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 57 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 58 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 59 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 60 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 61 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 62 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 63 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 64 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 65 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 66 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 67 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 68 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 69 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 70 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 71 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 72 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 73 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 74 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 75 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 76 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 77 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 78 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 79 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 80 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 81 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 82 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 83 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 84 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 85 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 86 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 87 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 88 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 89 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 90 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 91 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 92 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 93 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 94 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 95 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 96 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 97 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 98 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 99 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 100 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 101 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 102 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 103 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 104 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 105 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 106 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 107 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 108 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 109 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 110 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 111 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 112 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 113 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 114 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 115 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 116 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 117 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 118 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 119 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 120 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 121 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 122 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 123 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 124 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 125 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 126 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 127 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 128 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 129 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 130 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 131 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 132 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 133 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 134 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 135 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 136 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 137 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 138 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 139 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 140 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 141 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 142 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 143 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 144 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 145 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 146 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 147 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 148 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 149 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 150 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 151 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 152 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 153 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 154 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 155 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 156 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 157 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 158 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 159 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 160 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 161 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 162 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 163 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 164 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 165 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 166 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 167 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 168 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 169 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 170 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 171 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 172 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 173 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 174 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 175 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 176 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 177 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 178 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 179 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 180 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 181 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 182 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 183 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 184 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 185 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 186 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 187 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 188 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 189 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 190 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 191 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 192 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 193 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 194 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 195 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 196 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 197 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 198 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 199 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 200 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 201 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 202 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 203 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 204 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 205 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 206 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 207 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 208 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 209 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 210 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 211 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 212 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 213 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 214 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 215 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 216 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 217 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 218 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 219 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 220 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 221 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 222 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 223 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 224 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 225 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 226 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 227 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 228 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 229 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 230 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 231 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 232 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 233 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 234 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 235 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 236 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 237 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 238 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 239 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 240 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 241 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 242 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 243 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 244 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 245 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 246 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 247 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 248 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 249 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 250 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 251 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 252 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 253 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 254 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 255 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 256 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 257 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 258 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 259 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 260 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 261 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 262 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 263 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 264 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 265 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 266 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 267 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 268 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 269 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 270 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 271 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 272 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 273 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 274 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 275 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 276 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 277 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 278 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 279 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 280 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 281 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 282 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 283 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 284 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 285 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 286 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 287 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 288 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 289 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 290 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 291 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 292 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 293 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 294 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 295 Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 296
Aerosol Optical Depth
Aerosol Optical Depth Scale
March 2000
March 2000 April 2000 May 2000 June 2000 July 2000 August 2000 September 2000 October 2000 November 2000 December 2000 January 2001 February 2001 March 2001 April 2001 May 2001 June 2001 July 2001 August 2001 September 2001 October 2001 November 2001 December 2001 January 2002 February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 October 2010 November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024 April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024
October 2024
mov

Tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere are called aerosols. Windblown dust, sea salts, volcanic ash, smoke from wildfires, and pollution from factories are all examples of aerosols. Depending upon their size, type, and location, aerosols can either cool the surface, or warm it. They can help clouds to form, or they can inhibit cloud formation. And if inhaled, some aerosols can be harmful to people's health.

These maps show average monthly aerosol amounts around the world based on observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite. Satellite measurements of aerosols, called aerosol optical thickness, are based on the fact that the particles change the way the atmosphere reflects and absorbs visible and infrared light. An optical thickness of less than 0.1 (palest yellow) indicates a crystal clear sky with maximum visibility, whereas a value of 1 (reddish brown) indicates very hazy conditions.

High aerosol amounts are linked to different process in different places and times of year. High aerosol amounts occur over South America from July through September. This pattern is due to land clearing and agricultural fires that are widespread across the Amazon Basin and Cerrado regions during the dry season. Aerosols have a similar seasonal pattern in Central America (March-May), central and southern Africa (June-September, and Southeast Asia (January-April).

In other cases, however, aerosol concentrations are not related to fires. For example, from May through August each year, aerosol amounts rise dramatically around the Arabian Peninsula and nearby oceans due to dust storms. Elevated aerosol amounts nestle at the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in northern India in some months, and linger over eastern China for much of the year. These elevated aerosol amounts are due to human-produced air pollution.

View, download, or analyze more of these data from NASA Earth Observations (NEO):
Aerosol Optical Depth