Earth · aerosols
The volcanic veil
Stratospheric aerosol optical depth (550 nm) replays year by year since 1850: the veil thickens after Krakatoa (1883), Agung (1963), El Chichón (1982) and above all Pinatubo (1991).
- Year
- —
- Optical depth
- —
Monthly maximum of the series
0.164
Maximum since 1950
0.149
Latest available month
0.0035
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Veil opacity proportional to the GISS global annual mean; latitude distribution illustrative.
Monthly maximum of the series
0.164
1884-04
Krakatau (August 1883)
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Maximum since 1950
0.149
1992-02
Pinatubo (June 1991)
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Latest available month
0.0035
2012-09
end of the GISS series (2012)
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Months available
1,953
1850-01 → 2012-09
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Global stratospheric optical depth at 550 nm, 1850–2012
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Show the data as a table
Northern and southern hemispheres
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012) · NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · 10/23/26
Show the data as a table
Method and sources
Stratospheric aerosol optical depth (dimensionless, at 550 nm) is the Sato et al. (1993) series extended by NASA GISS to 2012, built from ground and satellite observations (SAGE, AVHRR) and historical extinction measurements. Values are read as published, without smoothing.
Years after 2012 exist in NetCDF products (GloSSAC, CMIP6/CMIP7 forcings) that are not imported here.
Reading these data
Before 1960 the series rests on sparse observations and distribution assumptions; the uncertainty is large. Optical depth measures light scattering, not directly surface cooling.
SOURCES OF THIS PAGE
- NASA GISS stratospheric aerosol optical depth (Sato et al., updated to 2012)
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Sato, M., Hansen, J. E., McCormick, M. P., & Pollack, J. B. (1993). Stratospheric aerosol optical depths, 1850–1990. J. Geophys. Res., 98, 22987–22994; updated through 2012 by NASA GISS.
· doi:10.1029/93JD02553 · source page ↗
Licence : NASA data, public domain; cite Sato et al. (1993) · retrieved on Oct 23, 2026 · SHA-256 40b245c8fc87… - Sato et al. (1993)
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Sato, M., Hansen, J. E., McCormick, M. P., & Pollack, J. B. (1993). Stratospheric aerosol optical depths, 1850–1990. Journal of Geophysical Research, 98(D12), 22987–22994.
· doi:10.1029/93JD02553
Licence : Published literature; cited