When looking at Earth from space, one of the most distinct features we see is its cloud cover. Clouds are visible aggregates of water droplets, ice particles, or a mixture of both that occur in the atmosphere above the EarthΓÇÖs surface.
The study of clouds, where they occur, and their characteristics, may well be the key to understanding climate change. Low, thick clouds primarily reflect solar radiation and cool the surface of the Earth. High, thin clouds primarily transmit incoming solar radiation; at the same time, they trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation emitted by the Earth and radiate it back downward, thereby warming the surface of the Earth.
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Research on global cloud cover and cloud properties will be performed using data from several instruments currently in flight on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and on the EOS satellites.
