Is the Earths ozone layer recovering?
Earth’s stratosphere contains the ozone layer, a barrier that protects life from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. One of Aura’s main goals is to monitor levels of ozone and the pollutants that contribute to depleting it. Is air quality getting worse? The lower level of our atmosphere, known as the troposphere, is also affected by human activity. Aura will make the first space-based observations of the troposphere to discover global patterns and trends that shape its health. How is the Earth’s climate changing? Water vapor and ozone in the upper layers of our atmosphere are important factors in maintaining global temperature. Aura will study the levels and distribution of these key gases to better understand how they regulate climate.
