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Page 2.

Looking at Earth with REMO

This is REMO. REMO is a Remote Earth-Monitoring 

Observer. He uses remote sensing, which is studying 

something from a distance, to look at Earth.

Together with his satellite friends, he orbits Earth, 

always recording things that he finds out. And then 

he tells us all about them.

With the help of NASA satellites, we can understand 

how Earth’s climate works and changes over time. 

Let’s see what REMO has found out so far...
Page 3.

Why There’s No Place Like Home

REMO has learned that Earth is a special place. He gets together with other 

spacecraft to talk about their journeys to other planets. They tell him Venus is like 

an oven and Mars is like a freezer. REMO tells them, “Earth isn’t too hot or too 

cold; it’s just right for life!”

Here are some differences between the three planets: Venus, Earth, and Mars:

Venuses average surface pressure is 93 times that of Earth’s surface; Earth’s surface pressure is one atmosphere; and Marses surface pressure is 7-one thousandths of one atmosphere.

Venuses atmosphere is composed of 96.5 percent carbon dioxide; Earth’s atmosphere contains about 0.04 percent carbon dioxide; and Mars is composed of about 95.3 percent carbon dioxide.

Venuses atmosphere contains no oxygen; Earth’s atmosphere is comprised of 20.9 percent oxygen; Marses atmosphere contains about 0.13 percent oxygen.

The average surface temperature for Venus is 465 degrees Celcius, or 870 degrees Farenheit; for Earth, it’s 15 degrees Celcius, or 59 degrees Farenheit; and Mars’ average surface temperature is -65 degrees Celcius, or -85 

degrees Farenheit.
Page 4.

How Do REMO’s Satellite Friends Work?

Many NASA satellites use their sensors to collect information about Earth. Some sensors 

measure the amount of light reflected from Earth and record that information as numbers. 

The satellite transmits the numbers down to Earth in the form of binary code—zeroes and 

ones—where computers store the data until people analyze it.

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to visible light, some satellite sensors can detect other forms of light that the 

human eye cannot see. This non-visible light data give scientists important information 

about the Earth’s atmosphere, land, ocean, and cryosphere (sea ice and land snow/ice) 

and make satellite instruments indispensable tools for understanding our climate.

Images generated from satellite data are often made to highlight features of interest 

to scientists. “False-color” composite images are not true to real-life color, but provide 

contrast to features that are not readily seen with the human eye. They are made with a 

combination of visible and/or non-visible light data.

A natural-color image of wildfires in southern California and 

the northern Baja California 

Peninsula on October 26, 

2003. It is made by combining 

separate images from different 

parts of the visible color spectrum and overlaying hot fires 

from an infrared channel.
Page 5.

What’s in a Name?

REMO’s satellite friends below are members of NASA’s Earth Observing System 

(EOS) fleet. Each satellite name tells a story about what part of Earth it studies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Page 6.

Facts about Aerosols.

Aerosols are tiny particles in the atmosphere. You 

see them as the haze that is sometimes hanging 

around cities. 

Desert dust and 

eruptions from 

volcanoes are 

aerosols that occur in nature.

Pollutants 

from industrial activity 

and from 

vehicles 

create man-made aerosols, like those generated from exhaust.

Aerosols can affect climate by reflecting 

and absorbing solar radiation. Some act 

as “seeds” around which a cloud of droplets forms, in a process called nucleation. 

High aerosol concentrations in clouds 

can potentially change precipitation by 

limiting the size and number of raindrops.

One of REMO’s friends is CALIPSO. 

CALIPSO’s job is to study how aerosols 

and clouds affect climate.

 

 

Haze over the Hudson River, New York City.

Terra satellite image of the Shiveluch volcano 

erupting in Russia, February 2008

Coal-fired power plant.

Water molecules stick to aerosol particles, eventually 

forming cloud droplets.
Page 7.

Aerosol Word Find.

These words are important when speaking about aerosols. Remember them. These words may also come in 

handy for other puzzles on the next few pages. 

 WORD LIST. 

 DUST. NUCLEATION. RAINFALL.

 ERUPTION. DROPLET. HAZE.

 SOLAR. WIND. CONCENTRATION.

 POLLUTANT. DESERTIFICATION. CLOUDS.

 AEROSOL. PRECIPITATION. ATMOSPHERE.

 PARTICLE. VOLCANO. CONTRAIL.

 TROPOSPHERE. EXHAUST. INDUSTRIAL.

If you cannot see the puzzle below, please go to the next page..

O C
Page 8.

REMO says...

Ozone (O3) is a gas found in tiny amounts in our upper atmosphere, the stratosphere. This “good” ozone 

forms a layer that protects us by absorbing dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Human activity 

creates “bad” ozone closer to the ground, where it is 

a harmful pollutant. 

“Good” ozone can be destroyed when it reacts 

with chlorine, introduced into the atmosphere by 

human activity. During August through October, 

the amount of ozone in the stratosphere 

over Antarctica drops. Additionally, polar 

stratospheric clouds that form during this 

time help chlorine deplete ozone. This 

region of low ozone amount is called the 

ozone “hole”, though it’s not an actual 

hole in the stratosphere.

This map of the world (right) shows Antarctica in false colors. The purple area shows 

the ozone hole on September 12, 2008. The 

map was made from data sent down from orbit by NASA’s Aura satellite.

Facts About Ozone True or False.

Mark these statements about ozone true (T) or false (F):

1. Ozone (O3) is a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms. ______. true or false?

2. The ozone layer shields us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. ______. is this true or false?

3. The cause of the ozone hole is related to ozone reacting with carbon dioxide. ______

true or false?

4. Each year, the ozone hole over Antarctica is largest during September-October. ______

Is this statement true or false?

5. The ozone “hole” is an actual hole in the stratosphere. ______

true or false?

6. Polar clouds in the stratosphere help shield ozone from chlorine. ______

Is this true or false?

7. Ozone in the troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere, can be found in smog. ______

this statement is true or false?

8. The concentration of ozone is highest in Earth’s stratosphere. ______ true or false?

Answers are below. 

True. 1. 

True. 2. 

 The ozone hole is caused by molecules of ozone reacting with chlorine in the stratosphere. False. 3. 

True. 4. 

 The “hole” is an area where ozone is less than in surrounding regions, but it isn’t an actual hole. False. 5. 

 Polar clouds interact with chlorine to deplete ozone. False. 6. 

 Smog is a type of air pollution in the troposphere, the lower layer of the atmosphere. Smog can contain True. 7. 

 many chemical ingredients, including ground-level ozone. 

 90% of ozone is in the stratosphere, the layer between the troposphere and mesosphere. True. 8. 
Page 9.

Facts About Ozone.

Here are some facts to know about Earth’s ozone:

Ozone is a molecule and exists as a gas in the 

atmosphere.

About 90% of atmospheric ozone is located in 

the stratosphere.

The atmosphere is Earth’s life support.

Chlorine is a pollutant that was introduced by humans into the atmosphere that depletes ozone.

It is important to remember that our ozone layer 

protects life on Earth from dangerous ultraviolet 

radiation from the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 Page 10.

2

Earth’s ‘Radiation Budget’ - Fill in the Blanks.

Earth is a welcome place for life because radiative energy from the sun is distributed “just right”. 

REMO can speak in terms of watts per square meter (or, W/m2 ), or power per unit of area, to tell us how 

the sun’s energy interacts with Earth. Fill in the blanks below using this picture as your guide.

The average daily amount of solar radiation reaching the top of Earth’s atmosphere is. blank.

 __ __ __ watts. per square meter (W/m2).

The atmosphere absorbs. blank. __ __%. of the sun’s radiation.

The amount of solar radiation absorbed by Earth’s surface is. blank. __ __%.

Thirty percent (30%) of solar radiation is reflected back into space by clouds, 

aerosols, the atmosphere, and Earth’s. blank. __ __ __ __ __ __ __.

The amount of average radiation emitted by Earth’s surface is. blank. __ __ __ W/m2., 

but only. blank. __ __ W/m2. actually escapes all the way back into space.

This kind of radiation is called. blank. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ radiation. and is, relative to visible 

light, from the “long” wavelength part of the spectrum. It can sometimes be perceived as heat.

Answers are below. 

On the next page, see how some greenhouse gases can affect the sun’s radiation.

And now for the answers to Earth’s Radiation Budget:

 watts per square meter (W/m 342 The average daily amount of solar radiation reaching the top of Earth’s atmosphere is 2).

% of the sun’s radiation. 20 The atmosphere absorbs 

%. 49 The amount of solar radiation absorbed by Earth’s surface is 

. surface Thirty percent (30%) of solar radiation is reflected back into space by clouds, aerosols, the atmosphere, and Earth’s 

 W/m 390 The amount of average radiation emitted by Earth’s surface is 2 W/m 40 , but only 2 actually escapes all the way back into space.

 radiation and is, relative to visible light, from the “long” wavelength part of the spectrum. It can sometimes be perceived as heat. infrared This kind of radiation is called 

Now, on to the next page.
 

 Page 11.

Greenhouse Gas Match Up..

Earth’s ‘radiation budget’ can change when the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere goes up. Greenhouse gases absorb heat from the sun and trap it in the atmosphere. 

Here are four facts about greenhouse gases.

 Cars are man-made. It’s estimated that there are 600 million of these carbon dioxide emitters on the road today. _____________

 Cows digest their food in four stomachs, producing methane. _____________

 Termites are the second biggest source of methane after wetlands. _____________

 

Refrigerators were kept cold with ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, but now use hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, which are a potent greenhouse gas. _____________

 

By the way. 

REMO says...

SORCE, the SOlar Radiation and 

Climate Experiment, studies the 

sun’s energy and how it affects 

Earth’s climate.
How We Change Earth.

Here are some ways in which climate can be affected by humans changing Earth’s surface:

Cities grow.

Sometimes trees are cut down. 

Then, there are less trees to absorb carbon dioxide.

The ocean also absorbs carbon dioxide.

Ocean acidification occurs because carbon dioxide plus water equals 

carbonic acid. 

Wildlife is impacted. For example, coral growth may slow.

Here are some ways in which climate can be affected by humans changing 

Earth’s surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 12.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 13.

The following four statements are facts about land use, the growth of 

cities, and population:

1. There are over 12.7 million people living in the city of Tokyo, Japan.

2. Over 12,000 tons of garbage are collected each day in New York City. 

(Note: One US ton is 2000 pounds or about 907 kilograms.)

3. Temperatures are so hot in Coober Pedy, Australia that the residents 

live underground.

4. It takes about 24 trees to make a ton of paper. (Note: This is paper 

used for printing and writing, not newspaper.)

Now turn to page 14: the crossword puzzle.
Pages 14 & 15.

REMO says...

CloudSat studies clouds 

in detail to help us better 

understand their role in 

regulating our climate.

What’s this?

Smoke from fire is a type of aerosol. Here 

is a photo-like image of fires in Los An- geles County, California. But, this 

picture is not a photograph. It is 

made from data collected from 

orbit by NASA’s Terra satellite on 

August 30-31, 2009 and processed on a computer. The red 

areas show where the fires’ hot- test spots are located. See the 

smoke moving from the lower 

left to upper right?

Now, here is the Climate Change Crossword Puzzle. (Each answer can be found somewhere 

in this book.)

Across hints.

2. Planet with more oxygen than carbon dioxide. (This answer has five letters.)

 4. Cloud particles resulting from jets in the sky. (This word has nine letters.)

 7. Number of solar panels on the Landsat satellite (Seven Across has four letters.)

 8. Greenhouse gas absorbed by trees. (Eight Across is two words with a total of 13 letters.) 

 9. Super hot town in Australia. (This has two words with a total of ten letters.)

12. Absorbs 20% of the average daily amount of

 incoming solar radiation. (The answer has ten letters.)

14. Often cut down when cities grow. (Their answer has five letters.) 

15. Asian city with HUGE population. (This answer has five letters.

16. Studied by the satellite Aqua. (This has five letters.)

17. Ground-level ozone is part of this. (Four letters.)

18. Planet with no oxygen in its atmosphere. (Answer has five letters.)
Down hints.

1. Measured by satellite sensors. (This answer has five letters.)

 3. REMO’s shoes. (What kind are they? Eight letters.)

 5. Layer that protects us. (Five letters.)

 6. Distribution of radiative energy from the sun. (This answer has six letters.)

10. Increases ozone’s destruction by chlorine. (This is two words and has 11 letters.)

11. Can be a product of desertification. (Four letters.)

12. Tiny particles in the atmosphere. (They have eight letters.)

13. Trapped by greenhouse gases. (This one has four letters.)

You can find solutions to this crossword puzzle on page 18.

REMO says...

The QuikScat satellite mission measures wind speed 

and direction over Earth’s 

oceans to help improve 

weather forecasting.
Pages 16 & 17.

Climate Change 

 (These “items” can be foun

1. Find the name of the numerical code that just uses zeroes and ones. The answer has six letters. 

2. How many oxygen atoms make up a molecule of ozone? Need five letters here.

3. What condensed water in the atmosphere emits infrared radiation back to Earth’s surface? Five letters.

4. Where does a satellite send its data to? This one has two words: first word has 6 letters; second word has seven letters.

5. When does the ozone hole reach its largest size? This answer has nine letters. 

6. How many more stomachs does a cow have than you do? This has five letters.

7. What type of radiation is from the “long” wavelength part of the spectrum? The answer has eight letters.

8. What do REMO’s satellite friends look at all the time? This has 5 letters.

9. What’s the biggest natural source of methane? (hint: it’s a type of place) Need eight letters, here.

10. What volcano erupted in Russia in February 2008? This answer has nine letters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 Scavenger Hunt

d somewhere in this book.)__

And now, here are the answers, below.

1. Binary . 2. Three. 3. Cloud . 4. Ground station. 5. September. 6. Three. 7. Infrared. 8. Earth . 9. Wetlands. 10. Shiveluch.

What’s 

this?

A dust storm blows off the 

coast of the United Arab 

Emirates and the Persian 

Gulf on February 28, 2009. 

Dust is a type of aerosol. 

This satellite image was 

made from data from the 

Terra satellite. It is not a 

photograph.
Page 18.

Answers Page:

Crossword Puzzle (pages 14 and 15):

2 across: Earth.

4 across: contrails.

7 across: four.

8 across: carbon dioxide.

9 across: Coober Pedy.

12 across: atmosphere.

14 across: trees.

15 across: Tokyo.

16 across: water.

17 across: smog.

18 across: Venus.

1 down: light.

3 down: high-tops.

5 down: ozone.

6 down: budget.

10 down: polar clouds.

11 down: dust.

12 down: aerosols.

13 down: heat.
Page 19.

Resources on line.

For more information, go to:

Global Climate Change Web site:

http://climate.nasa.gov.

NASA’s Earth Observing System site:

http://eos.nasa.gov.

The Earth Observatory Web site:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov.

Visible Earth:

http://visibleearth.nasa.gov.

NASA Earth Observations Web site:

http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov.

Scientific Visualization Studio Web site:

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov.

http://climate.nasa.gov/

http://eos.nasa.gov

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

http://visibleearth.nasa.gov

http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov
www.nasa.gov. Reference number: NP-2009-9-096-GFSC