Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the air. Some occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and the alteration of natural surface cover, also generate aerosols. In this animation, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) polar-orbiting ... Full description.

The 2006 ozone hole over the Antarctic was the largest ever observed. This poster shows images of the ozone hole, one from each month, as observed by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites that orbit the poles. The poster dimensions are 24" x 36" and is in high resolution 300dpi format for printing. Full description.

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is an international body composed of governments, organizations, and commercial companies. Their satellite systems are one component of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) that are used to monitor all aspects of the environment. In this animation, all of the satellites involved in GEOSS are shown in their actual orbits, as of August 2006. This ... Full description.

Chlorophyll is the chemical compound that plants use to absorb the sun's energy and use it to produce their own food. Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms in the oceans that contain chlorophyll, and through the process of photosynthesis, produce most of the oxygen for the planet. However, some types of phytoplankton are also dangerous to human health because they release toxins. When these types ... Full description.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), along with other agencies, use a variety of satellites to monitor all aspects of the environment. Many of these satellites can be broken down into two groups, based on how they orbit the Earth. Geostationary satellites orbit the Earth at a speed equal to its rotation, so they seem to stay in place. They provide constant monitoring of specific ... Full description.

The El Niņo Southern Oscillation is a climatic cycle that is characterized by reduced easterly winds around the Pacific equator. Without these winds, warm water accumulates off the coast of South America and slowly spreads across the Pacific. Higher than normal temperatures, shown as orange and red in the animation, alter global precipitation, ocean and atmospheric circulation. Full description.

The La Niņa is the climatic antithesis of El Niņo. Whereas El Niņo created equatorial Pacific warming due to weak surface winds, La Niņa arises from very strong easterly winds that promote the upwelling of deep, cold waters to the surface of the ocean. These colder than average waters are visible in the animation as blue and purple colors. Like El Niņo, the La Niņa also alters global precipitations, ... Full description.

This animation shows three years of sea ice concentration data, as observed by the NASA QuikSCAT satellite. Notice how the North Pole ice minimum is at the opposite time of the year as the South Pole's. This difference is cause by the axis of Earth's rotation creating different seasons in the northern and southern hemispheres. Full description.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's polar-orbiting satellites (POES) have been collecting sea surface temperature data since 1985. This animation is a compilation of all of the data collected from POES from 1985-2006. Red colors indicate warm water, blue equals cold. Look for recurrent features such as the Gulf Stream, El Nino and La Nina, and seasonal changes in heat content. Full description.

This animation shows the global annual temperature anomalies from 1880 to the present. As also shown in the animated graph, the average temperature of the Earth has increased since 1880. Notice the rapid appearance of orange and red over the U.S. in the last 25 years, these are areas where the temperature is much warmer than usual. Full description.