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The visualizations and images in this story show several quantities AIRS has observed over its 20 year lifetime. Most of these quantities have a common trait: the effects over the past two decades of human activities are easily seen in the AIRS observations.

The AIRS instrument on NASA’s Aqua Satellite has helped predict weather, and monitor trace gases, drought, volcanoes, and hints of flu.

May marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of JPL’s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite, on May 4, 2002. A selection of features, videos and animations highlight what AIRS has observed over the 20 years and the impact it has had.

In January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted twice, sending plumes of ash, steam, and gas more than 30 kilometers high and causing unprecedented gravity, shock, and sound waves to move through the global atmosphere. AIRS observations of atmospheric waves and volcanic plumes created by the eruptions have led to the insights described below.

AIRS captures views of Hurricane Ida before and after landfall on August 29, 2021.

AIRS captured the progression of this slow-moving heat dome across the region from June 21 to 30, 2021.