aerology

Aerology is the scientific study of the Earth's atmosphere, including its physical properties, composition, structure, and the processes that produce weather and climate. In many contexts it is used interchangeably with meteorology; historically, aerology has sometimes emphasized the atmospheric envelope and upper-atmosphere phenomena as well as aviation-related observations.

The subject spans the atmosphere from the surface through the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere, although practical work is often focused on the lower atmosphere. Key topics include temperature and pressure profiles, humidity, cloud formation, winds, atmospheric radiation and heating, aerosols, trace gases, ozone, and atmospheric electricity and ionization.

Methods combine direct observations with remote sensing and models. Surface weather stations and radiosondes provide vertical profiles; aircraft, ships, and weather balloons extend measurements upward. Satellites, radar, lidar, and other remote-sensing instruments supply large-scale data, while numerical models and data assimilation translate observations into forecasts and climate projections.

Applications include weather prediction, aviation safety, climate research, air quality assessment, and environmental monitoring. Aerology intersects with atmospheric physics, chemistry, and climatology, and it informs policy on weather risk, disaster preparedness, and atmospheric change.