NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Who are NASA's Earth Explorers? The elementary school student questioning if El Niño occurs anywhere besides the Pacific Ocean. The researcher investigating connections between Arctic ozone depletion and global climate change. The citizen scientist interested in how changing land cover and use affects animal migration patterns. And the businessperson projecting future needs for harvest, delivery and storage of crops. All of these people are Earth Explorers -- they are all connected by their curiosity about Earth system processes. This monthly series will introduce you to NASA Earth Explorers, young and old, with a variety of backgrounds and interests.

After years of dreaming, planning and hard work, NASA is about to launch the Aura satellite. Aura is designed to answer three fundamental questions about our atmosphere:

1. Is the ozone layer recovering?
2. Is air quality getting worse?
3. How is the climate changing?

This month's edition of Earth Explorers introduces you to the professional and personal sides of some of the scientists who have made important contributions to the Aura mission:






John Gille: Searching for Patterns in the Clouds
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Anne Douglass: Making the World Safe for Blondes
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Peter Siegel: Studying the Energy of the Universe
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See previous Earth Explorers articles:
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Related Resources

Aura
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Whose Air is it Anyway?
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ChemMatters September 2002: Special NASA Issue
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This special issue of ChemMatters includes the original version of this article as well as other articles and activities related to NASA's Aura mission.