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Aerosol Size & Aerosol Optical Depth

Global Map Aerosol Size Image 1 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 2 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 3 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 4 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 5 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 6 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 7 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 8 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 9 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 10 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 11 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 12 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 13 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 14 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 15 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 16 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 17 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 18 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 19 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 20 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 21 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 22 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 23 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 24 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 25 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 26 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 27 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 28 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 29 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 30 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 31 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 32 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 33 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 34 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 35 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 36 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 37 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 38 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 39 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 40 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 41 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 42 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 43 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 44 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 45 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 46 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 47 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 48 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 49 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 50 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 51 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 52 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 53 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 54 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 55 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 56 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 57 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 58 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 59 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 60 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 61 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 62 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 63 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 64 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 65 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 66 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 67 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 68 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 69 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 70 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 71 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 72 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 73 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 74 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 75 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 76 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 77 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 78 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 79 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 80 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 81 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 82 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 83 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 84 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 85 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 86 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 87 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 88 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 89 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 90 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 91 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 92 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 93 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 94 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 95 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 96 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 97 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 98 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 99 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 100 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 101 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 102 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 103 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 104 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 105 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 106 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 107 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 108 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 109 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 110 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 111 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 112 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 113 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 114 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 115 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 116 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 117 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 118 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 119 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 120 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 121 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 122 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 123 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 124 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 125 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 126 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 127 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 128 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 129 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 130 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 131 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 132 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 133 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 134 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 135 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 136 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 137 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 138 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 139 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 140 Global Map Aerosol Size Image 141
Aerosol Size
Aerosol Size Scale
Aerosol Optical Depth
Aerosol Optical Depth Scale
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
January 2005
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September 2016
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Earth’s atmosphere contains tiny liquid and solid particles called aerosols. Natural aerosol particles, such as dust and sea salt, tend to be larger than human-produced aerosols, such as particle pollution from burning fossil fuels. These aerosol size maps are based on data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. Green areas show where the aerosols that were present were mostly larger particles. Red areas show where aerosols consisted mostly of small particles. Yellow areas show plumes with an even mix of small and large particles. Gray shows where the sensor did not collect data.

The aerosol maps show average monthly aerosol amounts around the world based on observations from the MODIS sensor 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.

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