NASA image acquired July 10, 2005
Viewed from space, the most striking feature of our planet is the water. In both liquid and frozen form, it covers 75% of the Earth’s surface. It fills the sky with clouds. Water is practically everywhere on Earth, from inside the rocky crust to inside our cells.
This detailed, photo-like view of Earth is based largely on observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. It is one of many images of our watery world featured in a new story examining water in all of its forms and functions. Here is an excerpt: “In all, the Earth’s water content is about 1.39 billion cubic kilometers (331 million cubic miles), with the bulk of it, about 96.5%, being in the global oceans. As for the rest, approximately 1.7% is stored in the polar icecaps, glaciers, and permanent snow, and another 1.7% is stored in groundwater, lakes, rivers, streams, and soil.
Only a thousandth of 1% of the water on Earth exists as water vapor in the atmosphere. Despite its small amount, this water vapor has a huge influence on the planet. Water vapor is a powerful greenhouse gas, and it is a major driver of the Earth’s weather and climate as it travels around the globe, transporting heat with it.
For human needs, the amount of freshwater for drinking and agriculture is particularly important. Freshwater exists in lakes, rivers, groundwater, and frozen as snow and ice. Estimates of groundwater are particularly difficult to make, and they vary widely. Groundwater may constitute anywhere from approximately 22 to 30% of fresh water, with ice accounting for most of the remaining 78 to 70%.”
NASA image by Robert Simmon and Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, based on MODIS data.
Instrument: Terra - MODIS
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
Andrea LD, gsikich1, Simon Birky Hartmann, grammardog, and 202 other people added this photo to their favorites.
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View 9 more comments
oskarmilde 31 months ago | reply
i am confused,,, looks like GEO but you state it is MODIS images .... no GOES?
8minutestorm 31 months ago | reply
we are so lucky!
Allie Wojtaszek 31 months ago | reply
Brilliant!
marcellucray 17 months ago | reply
....a lightning shot......great
lucie.robinson 16 months ago | reply
Fantastic imgage and love reading the text that goes with these.
DarkAngelDay 14 months ago | reply
Great
MirrorScope 14 months ago | reply
Save it
peripecio 14 months ago | reply
Great!
Jaroslove Bondarenko 14 months ago | reply
3D GeoSEIS Stereo transformation of this satellite image: www.flickr.com/photos/jeisus2012/5534536334/in/set-721576...
Francesco Littmann - 42 14 months ago | reply
What an awesome home! :)
colorblindxs2 14 months ago | reply
Someone should make a finger ring out of this photo. Beautiful... I'll take a size 6
I is 14 months ago | reply
so round
Unlucky_Alf [deleted] 14 months ago | reply
Beautiful.
dodagp 14 months ago | reply
So wonderful !!!
Looks like a marble ball !
The liquid and frozen form of water covers 75% of the Earth's surface.
Isn't it amazing ? Almost the same percentage as in the human body ...
manyunfeidu 14 months ago | reply
Let's love it!
LizaLovesNature 14 months ago | reply
She really is grand to me:) Beautiful Photo!
DjPaulPrince 14 months ago | reply
lovely