How Earth’s Surface and Interior are Connected to Freshwater Availability

NASA’s Earth Science Research and Analysis (R&A) pro- gram’s Earth Surface and Interior (ESI) focus area sup- ports research and analysis of solid-Earth processes from crust to the core. This includes research on how the solid Earth interacts with the storage, movement, and trans- port of freshwater around the planet. Freshwater often leaves a signature on Earth’s surface or at depth that helps identify where it might be located. ESI uses NASA’s unique, space-based observations to better identify and understand interactions between hydrolog- ic and solid-Earth processes, which can help determine changes in freshwater stores.

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

James Webb Space Telescope

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

Perseverance Rover

Parker Solar Probe

Juno