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.
Latest News »
Seasonal Monsoon Rains Block Key Ocean Current
[17-May-19] 
Years of Satellite Data Help Map Ocean Salinity Levels
[16-May-19] Mapping Salty Waters
[14-May-19] Progress in Ocean Salinity Science
[16-Apr-19] Recent Publications »
L-band Remote-sensing Increases Sampled Levels of Global Soil Moisture-air Temperature Coupling Strength
[29-Oct-19] Eastern Mediterranean Salinification Observed in Satellite Salinity from SMAP Mission
[20-Jun-19] Estimating Rain-Generated Turbulence at the Ocean Surface Using the Active Controlled Flux Technique
[14-Jun-19] The SPURS-2 Eastern Tropical Pacific Field Campaign Data Collection
[14-Jun-19] 
