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321E - Water & Ecosystems

Maps of science data

Overview

The JPL Water and Ecosystems Group investigates the Earth's terrestrial water cycle, inland and coastal ecosystems, and their vital interactions within the broader Earth System. By integrating advanced remote sensing from satellites, aircraft, and the International Space Station with in situ observations and computational modeling, our work spans the full NASA mission lifecycle. From leading scientific discovery and mission formulation to developing practical applications for global water resource management, we explore how water stores and fluxes respond to a changing climate, and how these shifts impact both natural biospheres and human societies.


Our Science

Our group uses data from NASA's remote sensing assets, along with computer models and in situ observations, to answer four fundamental questions:

  • Changing Stores and Fluxes: How are the stores and fluxes of water changing across the Earth in time and in space, and what are the mechanisms for these changes? (Including the observation of snow, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, permafrost, and groundwater)
  • Society and the Hydrosphere: How do changes in the supply, use, and quality of water affect people, ecosystems, and ultimately society? (Including water resource management, floods, and droughts)
  • Coastal and Inland Ecosystems: How do terrestrial and marine processes affect biology and ecosystem productivity in inland waters and the coastal ocean?
  • Earth System Feedbacks: How do water-ecosystem feedbacks regulate the carbon, water, and energy cycles in the Earth System? (Including evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and carbon-water-energy interactions)