Background information on soil moisture.

Background information on ocean circulation.

Background information on snow and ice extent.

Why Should Students Research Earth System Science?

A system is an organized group of related components that work together to carry out functions that the individual parts cannot do alone.  The Earth System, like the human body system, are similar in that they comprise diverse parts that interact in complex ways.

What is the hydrosphere and why is it important?

The world's surface air temperature is getting warmer. Whether the cause is human activity or natural changes in the Earth System—and the enormous body of evidence says it’s humans—thermometer readings all around the world have risen steadily since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. 

Argumentation is an important practice whereas the scientist develops explanations using evidence and reasoning to explain observed phenomena.

Review this page to learn about the background of volcanoes and their eruptions.

NASA Earth Observations (NEO) strives to make global satellite imagery as accessible as possible. Here you can browse and download imagery of satellite data from NASA's constellation of Earth Observing System satellites.