Minerals in the air: An environmental perspective

The troposphere comprises roughly the lowest 10 km of the atmosphere, the p art we inhabit, that envelops us, and that we inhale and look through every day of our lives. Clouds, rain, all manner of storms, and other aspects of weather originate within it, and it contains 85% of the mass of the atmosp here, including aerosol particles. These particles, like greenhouse gases, can influence climate. Mineral particles ale major constituents of this aer osol. Their sizes, shapes, compositions, and degrees of agglomeration can a ll be determined using transmission electron microscopy. These variables ha ve, to a considerable extent, been overlooked in studies of atmospheric che mistry and provide an important potential area of research for geoscientist s.