Results and prospects for remote sensing of tropospheric aerosols

The requirements on data for satellite remote sensing (RS) of remote aeroso ls are formulated based on a brief analysis of the effect of atmospheric ae rosols on climate. The methodological foundations for and some results of R S of aerosols based on observations of the radiance of the ground-surface-a tmosphere system are discussed in detail, together with the prospects for ( and some preliminary results of) the use of data not only about radiance bu t also about the polarization of the radiation received. The paper briefly analyses the prospects for RS of aerosols based on multi-angle, multispectr al and polarization data, acquired from ADEOS and EOS satellites. The need for joint application of satellite, aircraft, balloon and ground facilities , involving both RS and in situ measurements, is stressed.