A July map of atmospheric aerosol patterns over the oceans estimated from polar-orbiting meteorological satellites is shown. The largest aerosol amounts are indicated by red colors, with decreasing aerosol amounts going from yellow to green to blue; the lowest amounts are shown in black.
Major aerosol plumes originate from West Africa, Southwest Africa, Indonesia, East Asia, Central America, and eastern North America. Regions of enhanced aerosol in the Austral summer over the southern and equatorial Pacific ocean probably originate from natural marine sources. The summer and spring hemispheres show generally higher aerosol backscattering than during the winter and fall. (Courtesy of Rudolf Husar, Washington University, St. Louis)
