Earth  ID: 4476

Global Terrestrial Water Storage Anomaly (March 2015 - March 2016)

Visualizations by Alex Kekesi Released on July 28, 2016
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Animation showing Terrestrial Water Storage Anomaly (TWSA) data from March 2015 to March 2016. Shades of orange indicate areas with less ground water than normal and shades of blue are areas with more ground water than normal, which correlates to droughts and floods in these various regions.
A pair of experimental twin satellites called the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment, or "GRACE", were launched in March 2002. Since then they have been collecting gravity measurements which scientists use to derive Terrestrial Water Storage Anomalies (TWSA). TWSA can then be used as an indicator for drought and flood conditions across the globe. For more information on the GRACE mission please visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Grace/
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This animation is depicts the same data as above, but is in a flat map (or Platte Carre) projection without a date overlay or color bar burned in. (NOTE: This sample animation repeats twice.)
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Water storage anomaly color bar. Deepening shades of orange indicate areas below average and shades of darker shades of blue are above average ground water storage.
 

Older Version

Terrestrial Water Storage Anomaly 2002 - 2015

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Visualization Credits

Alex Kekesi (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Visualizer
Doug C. Morton (NASA/GSFC): Lead Scientist
Yang Chen (University of California, Irvine): Lead Scientist
Michelle Handleman (USRA): Lead Producer
Claire Saravia (NASA/GSFC): Lead Producer
Matthew R. Radcliff (USRA): Producer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4476

Mission:
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)

Data Used:
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)/Terrestrial Water Storage Anomaly also referred to as: TWS Anomaly
Analysis - 3/2015 - 3/2016
view all stories where this data set is used
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.

Keywords:
DLESE >> Ecology
SVS >> HDTV
DLESE >> Natural hazards
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Earth
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Climate Indicators >> Terrestrial Hydrosphere Indicators
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Terrestrial Hydrosphere

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0