Scientists involved with the Aquarius/SAC-D mission have a wealth of data at their fingertips, owing in large part to the immense amount of instrumentation aboard the satellite. The main focus of the mission was to detect changes in ocean surface salinity on a global scale, as shown on monthly images produced by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Scientists are also able to measure salinity variance and brightness temperature at high latitudes, which are depicted in weekly maps. (View our FAQs page for an explanation of brightness temperature.)
These composite maps, showing monthly, seasonal, and annual data are based on the latest algorithms developed by the Aquarius Calibration/Validation working group. (162 images)
