| GLOSSARY |
Our comprehensive earth science glossary is available to assist in your understanding of the MY NASA DATA microsets, lesson plans and computer tools. Please select the first letter of the word you wish to check for a definition and further information. |
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| OMI: |
| acronym for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument that is flying aboard NASA's Aura satellite. OMI will continue the data record for total ozone and other atmospheric parameters related to ozone chemistry and climate.
NASA's OMI Web page
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| open source: |
| an online interface that allows Web site users to submit relevant material to the Web site authors for sharing with other users. For MY NASA DATA, lesson plans, computer tools and other suggestions corresponding to the MY NASA DATA microsets are welcome.
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| optical depth: |
| a measure of the reduction of light or energy transmitted through the atmosphere due to interactions with air, cloud or aerosol particles. Optical depth is much more significant to Earth's energy budget than the physical thickness of cloud or aerosol layers.
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| overlay plot: |
| a plot of two or more sets of data on the same graph. The data values may be distinguished by using different colors or contours. Data values for different variables do not have to use the same units of measurement.
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| ozone: |
| a molecule consisting of 3 oxygen atoms found primarily in the stratosphere. When ozone is created in the troposphere, it can be a harmful pollutant.
More information on ozone
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Image courtesy NASA's Earth Observatory |
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| ozone layer: |
| a region within the stratosphere that contains a high amount of ozone. This layer provides a protective shield againist harmful UV radiation from the Sun.
How the ozone layer protects the Earth
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Image courtesy NASA's Earth Observatory |
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