How does NASA study land?
NASA missions collect data about the movement of Earth’s crust as well as its surface composition.
- Using data about the Earth’s crust, scientists develop or refine theories about how our planet has changed over the years. They try to determine the patterns that might predict future changes.
- Using data about the Earth’s surface, they develop or refine theories about how changes in land use affect the amount of forest and grassland, the quality of the soil, and other elements that support plant and animal life on our planet. They try to predict the results of trends in land use and determine which trends might be harmful.
NASA missions are carefully designed to test many of these theories. The scientists also share what they learn so that we can understand more about the phases of life on our planet to help us understand the kinds of life that specific habitats can support and the way our land use affects the planet as a whole.
An international program called the Earth Observing System (EOS) monitors climate and environmental change on Earth. The leading satellite in this program is called Terra. From Terra will come data for new research about how Earthís lands, oceans, air, ice, and life function as a total environmental system.
Terra is the first of several EOS spacecraft to observe the Earthís continents, oceans and atmosphere with five state-of-the-art instruments. To find out more about this mission, visit http://eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/ftp_docs/lithographs/...
