Discover How Aerosols Navigate Through Earth’s Atmosphere

acceleration: The process of altering the speed or direction of an object.

aerosol (Adj. Aerosolized): Tiny solid or liquid particles that are suspended in air or gas. Aerosols can occur naturally, like fog and volcanic gases, or can be artificial, such as smoke from burning fossil fuels.

Atlantic Ocean: One of the five major oceans, it is the second largest after the Pacific Ocean. It separates Europe and Africa to the east from South America to the west.

atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding Earth and other celestial bodies.

biomass: Organic materials containing carbon that can be utilized as fuel, particularly in power generation. Plants are a common form of biomass.

Black carbon: Carbon particles released into the air when fossil fuels, wood, or other carbon-based materials are burned.

carbon: A fundamental chemical element essential for life on Earth. It occurs naturally as graphite and diamond and is a crucial component of coal, limestone, and petroleum, forming various important chemical and biological compounds.

climate: The average weather patterns and conditions that prevail in a specific area over a long duration.

cloud: A collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere, appearing as a visible mass driven by wind and other forces.

condensation: The process where moisture in the air turns into liquid upon contact with a cold surface. It can also refer to the general change from vapor to liquid water.

Dispersion: The act of spreading out widely. For instance, plants may disperse seeds over great distances by relying on animals for transportation.

eruption: A sudden release of hot material from beneath the surface of a planet or moon. On Earth, volcanic eruptions expel lava, gases, and ash, while icy bodies like Enceladus release water through cracks in their crust.

Fossil fuels: Energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, formed over millions of years from the remains of ancient organisms.

Greenhouse gas: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by trapping heat in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is a notable example.

Hurricane: A powerful tropical cyclone originating in the Atlantic Ocean with wind speeds exceeding 119 km/h (74 mph). In the Pacific, the equivalent phenomenon is referred to as a typhoon.

NASA: Short for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, established in 1958. This U.S. agency is a pioneer in space research and exploration, having sent humans into orbit and to the Moon, as well as deploying spacecraft to study other celestial bodies in our solar system.

particle: A minute portion or fragment of matter.

Plume: (In geology) A stream of liquids (air, water, or magma) that maintains its shape while traveling over long distances.

radiation: One of the primary methods of energy transfer in physics, alongside conduction and convection. Radiation involves the transmission of energy via electromagnetic waves, allowing it to pass through empty space.

Tropical rainforest: A lush, biodiverse forest located in tropical areas with consistent heavy rainfall.

Reflective: Describing an object’s ability to strongly reflect light, often producing bright glare when sunlight strikes it. Examples include mirrors, smooth metals, glass, and icy surfaces.

salt: A compound produced from the reaction between an acid and a base, resulting in water. The ocean contains many varieties of salts, collectively known as “sea salt.” Table salt is typically composed of sodium and chlorine.

satellite: Any natural moon orbiting a planet or human-made objects that orbit celestial bodies.

sea: A large body of saltwater that is part of an ocean, distinct from lakes and rivers.

simulation: (v. Simulated) A computer-generated analysis that recreates specific conditions, functions, or appearances of a physical system using mathematical models to predict changes over time.

solar: Pertaining to the sun or its emitted radiation, derived from Sol, the Latin word for the sun.

Sulfate: A group of compounds related to sulfuric acid (H)₂SO₄). Sulfates are commonly found in drinking water.

Trade Wind: Persistent winds that blow towards the equator, originating from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere, forming two wind bands that circle the globe.

Volcano: An opening in the Earth’s crust that allows molten rock and gas to escape from beneath the surface. This process can lead to the formation of a volcanic cone as lava accumulates and solidifies.