What's New
Recent Publications
Jarugula, S., Lee, T., Wang, O., and Fournier, S. (2025). Maritime Continent Water Cycle as a Key Forcing for Decadal Variation of Upper-Ocean Salinity in the Southeast Indian Ocean AGU »
Meissner, T., and Manaster, A. (2025). Detection and Flagging of Radio Frequency Interference Contamination in SMAP Ocean Observations AMS »
Houndegnonto, O.J., Fenty, I.G., Fournier, S., Steele, M., Zahn, M.J., and Gaube, P. (2025). Thermohaline Preconditioning for Sea Ice Formation in the Beaufort Sea AGU »
Sarangi, R. and Rajan, A. (2025). Remote Sensing Observation of Sea Surface Chlorophyll, Temperature, Nitrate, and Salinity Over Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea Springer »
Dilipkumar, J. and Shanmugam, P. (2025). Quantitative Assessment of Coastal Water Quality Influenced by Extreme Events Using Satellite Data Springer »
Salt is essential
Circulating through our bodies and our seas, it impacts the health of people and the planet. Salt dissolved in seawater – measured as salinity – drives currents that distribute heat and carbon around the globe. So, salt not only preserves our food, it helps to preserve our climate by contributing to global ocean circulation.
Earth is an ocean planet
Key water cycle processes – precipitation and evaporation – mostly occur over the ocean. Thus, monitoring sea surface salinity patterns provides important clues about changes in our environment.
NASA observes salinity
Merging data from satellites and other instruments, our mission is to better understand ocean circulation, the water cycle, and climate.
How Salty Are You…?
Salinity Stories
Discover how NASA uncovers the mysteries of our ocean at
oceansciences.org
Discover how NASA uncovers the mysteries of our ocean at
oceansciences.org
MAPS
HIGHLIGHTS
Mesoscale Eddies
Explore ocean motion at the "middle" scale »
Salt & The Wind
Exploring ties between wind, ocean layers and dissolved salt in our seas »
Salinity & Ocean Life
Using salinity to find ocean organisms »
Water Cycle, Ocean Change & Climate
A continual cycle of evaporation and rain »
Seasons of Salinity
The annual rise and fall of salinity »
Salinity Fronts
Fronts are the hot spots of marine life »
Oscillations & Dipoles
Earth's ocean and atmosphere interact in countless ways »
High Latitudes
Salinity is a "key ingredient" for high-latitude ocean ecological communities »
Salinity & Soil Moisture: Water Cycle Links
Water evaporating from the ocean sustains precipitation on land »
Monitoring Total Alkalinity & Ocean Acidification
Total alkalinity (TA) is needed to assess ocean acidification »
Air-Sea Interactions: Hurricanes
How these storms may intensify »
River Plumes, Marginal Seas & Coasts
Connecting land-based events to the ocean »
GALLERY
LEARN MORE
The Role of Salt
More than just a seasoning »
Following the Water Cycle
Vital to life - critical to understand »
Density and Ocean Circulation
Salinity and temperature drive the ocean's motion »
Salinity’s Connections to Climate
Salinity - a driving force for weather and climate »
Measuring Salinity
The perspective from space »
