Earth ID: 4332

Aquarius Sea Surface Temperature 2011 - 2015

Visualizations by Cheng Zhang Released on September 23, 2015

Aquarius is an international effort to measure sea surface salinity and learn about the interaction between ocean circulation, the water cycle and climate. Besides salinity, Aquarius also measures sea surface temperature because salinity and temperature determines seawater density and buoyancy. Sea-surface density drives formation of ocean water masses and three-dimensional ocean circulation. Thus better understanding of ocean salinity and temperature improves understanding of the ocean's capacity to store and transport heat. The animation shows the changes of sea surface temporature from September 7, 2011 to May 20, 2015.

Visualization Credits

Cheng Zhang (USRA): Lead Animator
Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC): Animator
Gene Feldman (NASA/GSFC): Lead Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

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Data Used:

Aquarius/Microwave Radiometer/Sea Surface Salinity also referred to as: SSS

Observed Data - NASA

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Keywords:
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Earth