AIRS: NASA Advances Our Understanding of Earth’s Climate

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite has been scanning Earth for 20 years and now has a long enough record to help support climate change research. AIRS data on Earth’s atmosphere are improving weather forecasts and advancing our understanding of Earth’s climate.

AIRS' infrared technology creates 3D maps of air and surface temperature, water vapor, and cloud properties. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum is rich in information about gases, especially greenhouse gases such as ozone and carbon dioxide. The advantage of having such an instrument in orbit is the availability of rapid global coverage. AIRS data form a 'fingerprint' of the state of the atmosphere for a given time and place, contributing to climate data for future generations

NASA's Aqua satellite, with AIRS onboard, launched into Earth orbit on May 4, 2002.