What are Aerosols?

Changing Global Cloudiness

Why Isn't Earth Hot as an Oven?

Changing Global Land Surface

The Roles of the Ocean in Climate Change

MISR

Multi-angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer

MISR Web Site (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Animation of MISR science (3.2MB Quicktime .mov)

Animation of MISR scanning path (4.0MB Quicktime .mpg)

Latest MISR Images (via Visible Earth) East Coast Snow Storm First light image

Most satellite instruments look only straight down, or toward the edge of the planet. To fully understand Earth's climate, and to determine how it may be changing, we need to know the amount of sunlight that is scattered in different directions under natural conditions. MISR is a new type of instrument designed to address this need — it will view the Earth with cameras pointed at nine different angles. One camera points toward nadir, and the others provide forward and aftward view angles, at the Earth's surface, of 26.1°, 45.6°, 60.0°, and 70.5°. As the instrument flies overhead, each region of the Earth's surface is successively imaged by all nine cameras in each of four wavelengths (blue, green, red, and near-infrared).

In addition to improving our understanding of the fate of sunlight in the Earth's environment, MISR data can distinguish different types of clouds, aerosol particles, and surfaces. Specifically, MISR will monitor the monthly, seasonal, and long-term trends in:

• the amount and type of atmospheric aerosol particles, including those formed by natural sources and by human activities;
• the amount, types, and heights of clouds; and
• the distribution of land surface cover, including vegetation canopy structure.

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