The atmosphere around us holds keys to why we are able to live on our planet without the aid of the special equipment we need in space. Several projects at JPL are studying weather, climate and the evolving composition of the air around us. The solid surface of the Earth is changing over many different time scales. Land studies are being conducted from the ground, air and even from space. These studies will help us understand how we induce, modify, or inhibit those changes.
Oceans cover more than two thirds of the surface of our planet.
This vast quantity of water affects the weather and climate, and is partly responsible for the balance of atmospheric gases. Instruments on the surface of the ocean, on board ships, and in space are providing information about our oceans and their effect on local and global conditions. For more general information about JPL, visit the main JPL web site . For more information on NASA's Earth programs, visit NASA Headquarters' Earth Science site .