Educational Resources Database of Links

Land (canopy, condensation, evapotranspiration, groundwater, ice, infiltration, lakes, rivers, streamflow, soil moisture, snow, surface runnoff)

Ocean (evaporation, coral reefs, sea surface temperature, sea ice, salinity)

Atmosphere (advection, clouds, precipitation, water vapor, atmospheric humidity, total column ozone, gravity, weather)

Applications (environment, agriculture, carbon, disaster, invasive species, water, coastal)

NASA Water & Energy Cycle Satellite Missions

Water & Energy Cycle

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Earth is a unique, living planet due to the abundance and vigorous cycling of water throughout the global environment. Water is essential to life and directly impacts and constrains societys welfare, progress, and sustainable growth, and is continuously being transformed by climate change, erosion, pollution, and engineering practices. The water cycle is a critical resource for industry, agriculture, natural ecosystems, fisheries, aquaculture, hydroelectric power, recreation, and water supply, and is central to drought, flood, transportation-aviation, and disease hazards, and the need for understanding water cycle variability and its relationships with water availability and water-related natural hazards are well documented. It is therefore a national priority to use advancements in scientific observations and knowledge to develop solutions to the water challenges faced by society. NASAs unique role is to use its view from space to improve water and energy cycle monitoring and prediction. NASA has collected substantial water cycle information and knowledge that must be transitioned to develop solutions for all twelve National Priority Application (NPA) areas (Agricultural Efficiency, Air Quality, Aviation, Carbon Management, Coastal Management, Disaster Management, Ecological Forecasting, Energy Management, Homeland Security, Invasive Species, Public Health, and Water Management)