NASA Releases Initial Images From CALIPSO

July 24, 2006

Erica Hupp/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1237/1726

Chris Rink
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
757-864-6786

RELEASE: 06-285

NASA RELEASES INITIAL IMAGES FROM CALIPSO

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation
spacecraft known as CALIPSO is returning never-before-seen images of
clouds and aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the air.

These new images are revealing the secrets of how clouds and aerosols
form, evolve and interact with the atmosphere. CALIPSO's first images
were taken in early June. They highlight the results of a major lava
dome collapse at the Soufriere Hills Volcano on the island of
Montserrat in the Caribbean. The dome collapse on May 20 involved an
explosion that sent ash clouds 55,000 feet into the sky.

To see the satellite's initial images, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/calipso

"The ability to observe and track a volcanic plume high in the
atmosphere from the eruption of Soufriere Hills illustrates the high
sensitivity of the satellite's instruments and the promise of
discoveries to come," said David Winker, CALIPSO principal
investigator at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. "These
are exciting views of aerosols and clouds from around the globe."

On June 7 CALIPSO's lidar, a device similar to radar that emits pulsed
laser light instead of microwaves, obtained a vertical profile of the
aerosol remnants of the Montserrat volcanic activity over Indonesia.
Upper air movement carried a sulfur dioxide plume from the Caribbean
island more than 11,000 miles to Southeast Asia.

By globally observing aerosols' movement and altitude, CALIPSO
improves our ability to assess and forecast their impact around the
Earth. For example, volcanic plumes have an impact on air traffic
safety, since the plumes are hazardous to commercial aircraft when
they cross flight lanes. Aerosol activity at lower altitudes affects
air quality.

The three instruments aboard CALIPSO are aligned to view the same area
and work together to provide improved information on the size of ice
crystals and other properties of thin clouds. The primary instrument
is a polarization lidar that provides unique, high-resolution
vertical profiles of aerosols and clouds using laser pulses. It can
detect natural and human-produced aerosols and thin clouds that are
invisible to radar, and sometimes even to the human eye.

The spacecraft's wide-field camera is used to determine cloud
uniformity and provide a broader view of the location viewed by the
lidar. The imaging infrared radiometer operates continuously,
providing information on cirrus cloud particle size and infrared
emissions activity. It looks at the top surface of a broad sweep of
cloud area.

CALIPSO was launched April 28 from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.,
with NASA's CloudSat satellite. Both satellites orbit 438 miles above
Earth as members of NASA's A-Train constellation of five Earth
observing system satellites. A-Train stands for "afternoon," because
the constellation crosses the equator every day starting at 1:30 p.m.
eastern time. The constellation provides new insights into the global
distribution and evolution of clouds, helping to improve weather
forecasting and climate prediction.

CALIPSO was developed cooperatively by NASA and France's Centre
National d'Etudes Spatiales. Langley is leading the CALIPSO mission
and providing overall project management, systems engineering, and
payload mission operations. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md., provides support for system engineering, project and
program management.

CNES provides a PROTEUS spacecraft developed by Alcatel Alenia Space,
the radiometer instrument, and spacecraft mission operations. Hampton
University, Hampton, Va., is providing scientific contributions and
managing the outreach program. Ball Aerospace, Boulder, Colo.,
developed the lidar and on-board visible camera.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home


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