Global-Scale Satellite Mapping.
Existing operational meteorological satellites already provide global, 100 km resolution oceanic aerosol coverage every week. Though the current satellite data are semi-quantitative and only cover the oceans, they provide a context which can guide more detailed aerosol monitoring, campaign-type intensive measurements, as well as the development of both diagnostic and prognostic models of aerosol sources, transformations, removal and effects. Future integrated earth observing satellite systems (41) will be capable of more detailed, long-term monitoring of global aerosol change as well as their linkage to climatic and other bio-geochemical variables and processes.
Well-Defined Aerosol Regions.
The regionality of the global aerosol maps suggests that detailed surface-based monitoring of aerosol characteristics for the entire world is not required. Rather, focused measurements at a few regionally characteristic sites would suffice (42). In fact, extensive aerosol data sets and analyses of major aerosol regions (North America, Europe, parts of Africa, Australia) already exist. These regional sites can provide the detailed aerosol physics, chemistry and meteorological data that are not available from satellites and also supply the verifying ground truth data. The satellite data could then be used to extrapolate the point observations in space and time.
Networking and Collaborative Analysis.
Conducting such "big science" requires the fusion of data, knowledge and other resources of many organizations and researchers. It is now clear that traditional methods of data handling, analysis, and communication are inadequate to remedy the current data-rich, but knowledge-poor status. Fortunately, developments in information science, engineering and technology, as well as the cultural changes that are taking place offer a further opportunity. A globally distributed data and knowledge sharing network (43) would be a step in that direction.
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