Aquarius Soil Moisture
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- Visualizations by:
- Trent L. Schindler
- View full credits
This visualization shows soil moisture measurements taken by NASA’s Aquarius instrument from September 2011 to September 2013. Soil moisture, the water contained within soil particles, is an important player in Earth's water cycle. It is essential for plant life and influences weather and climate. Satellite readings of soil moisture will help scientists better understand the climate system and have potential for a wide range of applications, from advancing climate models, weather forecasts, drought monitoring and flood prediction to informing water management decisions and aiding in predictions of agricultural productivity. Here, soil moisture in the top 2 inches of the land is visible.
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
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Animators
- Trent L. Schindler (USRA) [Lead]
- Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC)
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Writer
- Maria-Jose Vinas Garcia (Telophase)
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Scientists
- Rajat Bindlish (USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory)
- Tom Jackson (USDA-ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory)
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Producer
- Kayvon Sharghi (USRA)
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Project support
- Ian Jones (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
- Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
Datasets used in this visualization
Aquarius Aquarius Soil Moisture (A.K.A. Soil Moisture) (Collected with the Microwave Radiometer sensor)
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.
Related pages
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ID: 11585 Produced Video
Mapping Soil Moisture
Read moreTo improve weather forecasts and build better climate models, scientists are looking at changes in soil moisture. Soil moisture is a measurement of the amount of water contained within soil particles. In 2011, NASA and the Argentina space agency launched the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite to observe the salt content of the ocean surface. But researchers also developed a method for the satellite to provide global maps of soil moisture. Orbiting Earth at an altitude of 400 miles, the satellite measures the wetness of soil by detecting microwave energy that's naturally emitted from the top two inches of land. The maps show how severe weather and seasonal cycles affect soil conditions in different parts of the world—information that can be used to help predict the onset of floods or drought. Watch the video to learn more. ||
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ID: 11604 Produced Video
NASA's Aquarius Returns Global Maps of Soil Moisture
Read moreNASA's Aquarius instrument has released its first released worldwide maps of soil moisture. Soil moisture, the water contained within soil particles, is an important player in Earth's water cycle. This animated version of Aquarius' measurements reveals a dynamic pattern of worldwide shifts between dry and moist soils.Here is the YouTube video. || This is a narrated video about NASA's observations of soil moisture and its applications.For complete transcript, click here. || This is a rotating globe with soil moisture maps made by the Aquarius instrument aboard the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite. ||
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