How and Why Does ATMOS Study the Earth's Atmosphere? Throughout most of history human beings had no knowledge of the gaseous envelope that surrounded them and the many roles it played in sustaining life on Earth and shaping the conditions of their existence. As awareness grew to encompass the reality of the atmosphere, people were still inclined to take it for granted as a permanent and unchangeable part of their environment. This assumption brought humanity into the present century in relative complacency with regard to their need to be concerned about the atmosphere, and with little real knowledge of its composition and structure. Even at that late date, most people's curiosity was directed towards studies of the atmosphere related to the weather - the only manifestation of it that affected them directly. Today we are aware of some 40 different molecular species in the atmospheric inventory, all of which play a role in the chemistry of the atmosphere and in its interaction with the Sun's radiation. Some of these gases are present only as a result of our activities and are a sensitive indicator of the extent to which the environment is being perturbed. The fact that these gases have the potential for seriously changing the conditions at the surface of our planet reinforces the realization that we can no longer view humanity and its environment as separate entities. While our primary concern in the past may well have been to protect ourselves from the environment, today we must also be concerned with protecting the environment from the detrimental effects of our own activities. In the past decade research into many interrelated questions about the Earth's atmosphere has made scientists aware of the complexity of the processes that affect it, and has drawn attention to the need for more detailed studies in order that these processes can be better understood. This, in turn, has shown the need for a means by which global measurements can be made of the composition and temperature of the atmosphere and their variability. With the advent of the space shuttle a suitable platform was available from which such measurements could be made, and the need was reduced to providing a sensor capable of making the required measurements under the conditions of orbital flight. ATMOS (Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy) - the experiment and the sensor - was conceived in response to this need. This outline is what Mike he feels needs to be addressed on our homepage. Some of this may already be explained in the FAQ and external sites referenced below. THIS IS WHERE YOU SHINE, ODELL! Global Ozone Depletion - Changing Atmosphere Clx - Why Cl comes from CFCs - Swimming Pools - Why volcanoes are a problem (particulates, not Clx & Fx) - What are the stratosphere and troposphere? Polar Ozone Depletion - How to they relate to us? - Why are the Arctic and Antarctic holes different? - How do they form? General Reading List Other Related Home Pages and References [We need to make sure we can use these and let the authors know : ODELL & MIKE NEED TO READ AND APPROVE THESE LINKS!] Ozone Depletion UseNet FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Other Ozone Depletion Information (External Sources and Home Pages) [DO WE WANT TO BE LISTED IN THEIR INFO?] NASA Goddard Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch Centre for Atmospheric Science Cambridge University Chemistry Department Go back to the previous page.