1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,560 In recent years, researchers have seen an alarming warming trend in the global climate. 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,020 Reports of increasing temperatures, thinning glaciers, and rising sea levels have led to 3 00:00:16,020 --> 00:00:21,080 widespread speculation that global warming is being caused by greenhouse gases that result 4 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:22,960 from man's activities. 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,080 Climate models that predict the Earth's future climate patterns indicate that global warming 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:32,120 could continue to increase if the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues 7 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:33,120 to rise. 8 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:37,120 Even though these climate models are powerful tools in predicting future global climate, 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:42,080 a more detailed understanding of clouds and aerosols could lead to more accurate climate 10 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,000 prediction models. 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,960 Researchers may be able to determine why the climate is warming, if it is being affected 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,480 by greenhouse gases, and what we can do to change it. 13 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:56,560 That is why researchers at NASA are preparing six innovative satellite systems, which when 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,200 launched will provide key information about the Earth's atmosphere. 15 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,680 Two of these satellites, CALYPSO and CLOUDSAT, will focus primarily on aerosols and cloud 16 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:10,680 structures, providing much more information about how clouds and aerosols interact with 17 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:14,880 each other and how they are affecting the atmosphere's radiation balance. 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,280 I spoke with Lamont Poole at the NASA Langley Research Center to find out more. 19 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:24,120 It's important to study clouds and airborne particles, which we call aerosols, because 20 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:28,080 both of them have significant effects on the Earth's climate, just like greenhouse 21 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,480 gases such as carbon dioxide. 22 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:36,280 But unlike greenhouse gases, which warm the planet, airborne particles and clouds can 23 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,840 either have a warming effect or a cooling effect depending on their type and their altitude. 24 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,760 Because of these complicating factors, it's very difficult to represent cloud and aerosol 25 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:53,240 processes accurately in climate models that are used to forecast the climate in the future. 26 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:59,040 So the data that we will be collecting from CLOUDSAT and CALYPSO will provide a much more 27 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,240 accurate picture of cloud and aerosol processes. 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,160 So what are the differences between the CALYPSO and CLOUDSAT satellites? 29 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,800 They're going to be launched on the same rocket, and when they get to altitude, they will separate 30 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,240 into different, very closely matched orbits. 31 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:19,880 In fact, as CALYPSO and CLOUDSAT orbit the Earth, they will be within 10 to 15 seconds 32 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,480 of each other in their orbit. 33 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:26,480 CLOUDSAT and CALYPSO are going to be flying as part of a formation of satellites that's 34 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,680 called the Afternoon Constellation, or the A-Train for short. 35 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:35,400 The A-Train will actually consist of six separate satellites flying in close proximity to one 36 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:36,880 another. 37 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:41,160 Once in orbit, each satellite will cross the equator within minutes of one another, taking 38 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,720 specific atmospheric measurements. 39 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:48,840 Although each satellite has a unique mission, the data retrieved will be combined together, 40 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:53,440 providing detailed observations about the condition of Earth and assisting scientists 41 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,440 with making predictions related to climate change. 42 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,960 By combining information from the different satellites, scientists will be able to gain 43 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,240 much more information about the condition of the planet than they could from any single 44 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:09,320 mission alone, greatly improving prediction capabilities. 45 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,080 Once these systems are in place, what do you hope the outcome will be? 46 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:18,400 Our ultimate goal is to provide accurate scientific information to decision makers 47 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:24,960 and governments worldwide so that informed and balanced decisions on how to mitigate 48 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,640 or adapt to climate change can be made. 49 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:31,920 And NASA's going to play a very crucial role in this process because of our capabilities 50 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:36,560 in developing and flying new technologies such as CALYPSO and CLOUDSAT.