Google’s initiative, “A Passage of Water,” makes NASA’s aquatic data dynamically visible.
This captivating digital journey uses satellite information to demonstrate the effects of climate change on Earth’s hydrological cycle.
In a collaborative effort, NASA joined forces with Google Arts & Culture and artist Yiyun Kang to develop “A Passage of Water,” an engaging digital exploration of the world’s freshwater systems. This project utilizes data from both the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites and the new, detailed insights from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to depict the influence of climate change on the global water cycle.
An online version of “A Passage of Water” debuted on Thursday, November 30, preceding the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In addition, Google plans to present a physical representation of this visualization project at the Blue Zone during COP 28.
The Role of NASA in Global Awareness
Kate Calvin, NASA’s chief scientist and senior climate advisor, emphasizes NASA’s role in conducting comprehensive research about Earth and disseminating these findings globally. “A Passage of Water” serves as an innovative method to convey crucial information about the relationship between climate change and the Earth’s water cycle in an easily understandable format.
A History of Data Accumulation Spanning Six Decades
For over 60 years, NASA has been amassing data on Earth’s terrain, water, atmosphere, and climate, aiding policymakers in devising strategies to counter, adapt, and react to climate change. NASA’s entire repository of Earth science data is accessible to both researchers and the general public through various channels.
Emphasizing NASA’s Earth Science Contributions
Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division, highlights NASA’s unparalleled study of Earth and its complex systems. “A Passage of Water” offers a platform to emphasize the public availability of SWOT data and other NASA Earth science data for storytelling, increasing awareness, and aiding individuals in making informed decisions in their homes, businesses, and communities.
Breakthroughs from the SWOT Mission
The SWOT mission, a collaborative venture between NASA and France’s CNES, is mapping Earth’s surface water elevations, offering an unprecedented, detailed view of the planet’s freshwater resources. SWOT delivers critical insights into the ocean’s role in climate change and how rising global temperatures affect lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
Ben Hamlington, a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory research scientist, comments on the revolutionary nature of SWOT’s data on oceans and freshwater. He anticipates significant advancements from the ongoing analysis of this satellite’s data.
Valuable Insights from GRACE Missions
The Google project also incorporates findings from the GRACE and GRACE Follow-On missions. GRACE, a joint venture between NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), monitored changes in Earth’s mass distribution from 2002 to 2017, primarily due to water movement. Launched in 2018, GRACE-FO continues this work, tracking variations in ice sheets, glaciers, surface and underground water storage, large water bodies, sea levels, and ocean currents, offering a comprehensive perspective on the evolving state of Earth’s water cycle and energy dynamics.
Enhancing Public Access to Astronomical Data
“A Passage of Water” is a recent digital creation under NASA’s Space Act Agreement with Google, ensuring that its content is freely accessible on Google’s web platforms. This partnership is part of a six-project series aimed at presenting NASA’s content in innovative and engaging ways to the public.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NASA-Google Water Project
What is “A Passage of Water”?
“A Passage of Water” is a digital project created by NASA in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture and artist Yiyun Kang. It uses data from the GRACE satellites and the SWOT mission to illustrate the impact of climate change on Earth’s water cycle through an interactive digital experience.
How does “A Passage of Water” illustrate the effects of climate change?
The project leverages high-resolution data from NASA’s SWOT mission and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites to demonstrate how global freshwater resources and Earth’s water cycle are being altered by climate change.
Where can “A Passage of Water” be accessed?
The digital version of “A Passage of Water” was released online on November 30. It is available to the public on Google’s web platforms. Additionally, a physical installation was presented at the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 28) in Dubai.
What is the significance of the SWOT mission in “A Passage of Water”?
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a joint venture between NASA and CNES, provides detailed data on the height of Earth’s surface water. This information is crucial for understanding how climate change affects oceans, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
How does NASA’s collaboration with Google benefit the public?
This collaboration, under NASA’s Space Act Agreement with Google, aims to make NASA’s Earth science data more accessible and engaging to the public. It is part of a series of projects to share NASA’s insights through Google’s digital platforms.
More about NASA-Google Water Project
- NASA’s Earth Science Division
- Google Arts & Culture
- Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
- Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) Mission
- United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) Information
- NASA’s Space Act Agreement with Google
- Information on Yiyun Kang, Artist Collaborator
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Research
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Collaborations
- German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) Partnerships
7 comments
kate calvin’s quotes are inspiring, nasa is really pushing boundaries in earth science. Kudos to the team!
Wow, this is super cool. NASA and Google working together? The future is here, guys. Can’t wait to check out A Passage of Water myself!
NASA’s data is free to access? That’s great news. More people should know about this, spreading the word!
A physical installation at COP 28, that’s huge! But why isn’t there more information on how to access it online?
i’m not a big science person, but this project sounds interesting. how does it actually show the water cycle changes tho?
It’s amazing how art and science can come together like this. Yiyun Kang must be really talented to work on such a project.
A bit confused here, what is SWOT mission exactly? Seems like a big deal but the article doesn’t explain much about it.