Presentations:Topic:Climate Change:Noctilucent Clouds


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Title

Noctilucent Clouds – A 'Miner’s Canary' for Global Change

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Faculty Member

Michael Summers

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Abstract

Noctilucent clouds are Earth’s highest clouds and always form at about 81 km altitude - literally at the edge of space. Their formation is a direct consequence of increasing atmospheric abundances of the gases carbon dioxide and methane; the former cools the upper atmosphere and the later increases its humidity. These clouds made their first recorded appearance in 1884 and have been increasing in frequency and extent in a manner that suggests that they may be our most sensitive indicator of global change. NASA has recently launched the AIM (Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere) satellite mission dedicated to the study of noctilucent clouds and in particular their connection to the global atmospheric environment. This talk is an overview of the mission and its goals.

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