authority: gcos
slug: aerosols
name: Aerosols
domain: atmosphere
subdomain: composition
authority_id: gcos:aerosols
external_ids:
  nvs_uri: null
  cf_standard_name: atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_ambient_aerosol_particles
  iadopt_concepts:
    property: optical-thickness
    entity: aerosol
canonical_units: "1"
gcos_requirement_tier:
  threshold: null
  breakthrough: null
  goal: null
description: |
  Properties of atmospheric aerosols including optical depth, single
  scattering albedo, size distribution, and vertical profile. Aerosols
  modulate the radiation budget directly and through cloud interactions.
theme: atmosphere
demos: []
status: documented
sources:
  - https://gcos.wmo.int/site/global-climate-observing-system-gcos/essential-climate-variables/aerosols-ecv