Perhaps remarkably, clouds are said to be the least understood aspect of our climate. Now scientists are set to discover a great deal more about our fluffy white friends.
Scientists know how clouds form, but not the complex relationship that exists between clouds and the aerosols needed to form them. EarthCARE, which stands for Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, is set to provide some answers.
EarthCARE, a joint venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), launched into the skies yesterday. It will use a suite of cutting-edge instruments, such as lidar and radar, to better understand the role clouds play in heating and cooling Earth’s atmosphere.
In keeping with the Japanese tradition of nicknaming satellites, JAXA has chosen ‘Hakuryu,’ meaning ‘White Dragon,’ a reflection of EarthCARE’s white body and tail-like solar panel. The fact that 2024 is the Japanese Year of the Dragon (tatsu-doshi), provides an additional layer of auspiciousness.
The video below provides an easy-to-understand explanation of how clouds impact our climate and the technology that EarthCARE will use to collect data.