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Also available: PDF Version of entire document (6.7 Mb)
For details see the Atmospheric Composition
chapter of the Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program
(2003)
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CCSP Research Element:
Atmospheric Composition
The atmosphere is a protective envelope for
life on Earth, providing key ingredients necessary to sustain life
and shielding the planet from harmful radiation. It can transport
materials around the globe in a matter of weeks yet can hold chemicals for
centuries or longer. The concentrations of the key gases that might affect
climate are changing, as are the processes that affect the composition of the
atmosphere.
CCSP-supported research focuses on how human activities and natural processes
alter the composition of the atmosphere and its energy balance and how related
changes could influence climate, ozone, ultraviolet radiation, pollutant
exposure, ecosystems, and human health. Specific objectives address the recovery
of the stratospheric ozone layer; the properties and distributions of greenhouse
gases and aerosols; long-range transport of chemicals and aerosols and
implications for regional air quality; and integrated assessments of the effects
of these changes. Issues involving interactions between atmospheric composition
and climate are of particular interest.
Benefits from this research include:
Improved description of the global distributions of aerosols and their
radiative properties
Knowledge of the importance of other greenhouse gases besides carbon
dioxide in the climate system
Understanding the recovery of the ozone layer (resulting from
international compliance with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that
Deplete the Ozone Layer) and its relationship with the climate system
Strengthened processes within the national and international scientific
communities to provide for integrated evaluation of impacts from air
pollution and changes in climate on ecosystems and human health.
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Saharan Dust Off West Africa. The plume extends more than 1,000 miles
(1,600 km). Scientists are trying to fully understand how such tiny airborne
particles -- emitted worldwide from many different sources -- affect climate. |
For details see the Atmospheric Composition
chapter of the Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program
(2003)
|
|
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