Albert Michelson

First American to earn a Nobel Prize (won in physics) for developing, in the late 1800s, of his interferometer and conducting the Michelson-Morley experiment to measure the velocity of the Earth through the ether, the hypothetical medium in which light waves were supposed to travel. This result later became the foundation of Einstein's Theory of Relativity.

Algorithm

Procedure for solving a mathematical problem. Used in Earth system science to derive physical or biological properties from observations and to calculate state variables in models.

Atmosphere

Whole mass of air surrounding the Earth.

Atmospheric Layers

Five different layers of the whole mass of air surrounding the Earth: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere.

Characterization

Process of identifying and classifying elements.

Fourier Transform

Spectrometer

Spectrometer that consists of a collimator and beamsplitter, which divides the source beam into two parallel beams with equal amplitudes.

Geostationary

Equatorial orbit with an angular velocity the same as Earth with the satellite position fixed with respect to Earth.

Geosynchronous

A direct, circular, low inclination orbit about the Earth having a period of 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds.

Greenhouse Effect

Warming effect on the air caused by heat rising from the surface of the Earth and being trapped by gases in the troposphere.

Global Warming

Rise in global temperature caused by increased amounts of atmospheric gases that trap heat in Earth's atmosphere by absorbing longwave radiation.

Interferometer

Instrument that utilizes the interference of light waves for precise determination of wavelengths. It consists of two or more separate telescopes that combine their signals almost as if they were coming from separate portions of a telescope, as big as the two telescopes are apart.

Meteorology

Science of the atmosphere and its phenomena relating to weather and weather forecasting.

Metrology

Science of weights and measures.

Modelling

Development of a reproduction or simulation of a problem or condition. A technique often used to test the effects of changes of system components on the overall performance of the system.

Solar Radiation

Emission of the Sun's heat or light in the form of waves or particles.

Radiance

Reflected light or emitted radiation at a particular wavelength and in a particular direction. Cloud radiance is either reflected sunlight in visible and near-infrared wavelengths or emitted radiation in infrared wavelengths.

Remote sensing

Science of detecting and measuring phenomena without coming into contact with it.

Spectra

Continuum of color formed when a beam of white light is dispersed (as through a prism) so that the component wavelengths are composed in order.

Spectrometer

Instrument that measures wavelengths of radiant energy, or the spectrum (singular of spectra).

Stratosphere

Layer above the Earth's tropospheric layer.

Synoptic

Broad view of atmospheric conditions occurring simultaneously.

Signal Processing

Transmission of impulses.

Sounding

Measurement of various heights.

Spectral bands

Regions or intervals of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Telemetry

A space-to-ground data stream of measured values.

Troposphere

Layer of our atmosphere that is closest to the Earth.