PDS logoPlanetary Data System
PDS Information
Find a Node - Use these links to navigate to any of the 8 publicly accessible PDS Nodes.

This bar indicates that you are within the PDS enterprise which includes 6 science discipline nodes and 2 support nodes which are overseen by the Project Management Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Each node is led by an expert in the subject discipline, supported by an advisory group of other practitioners of that discipline, and subject to selection and approval under a regular NASA Research Announcement.
Click here to return to the Photojournal Home Page Click here to view a list of Photojournal Image Galleries Photojournal_inner_header
Latest Images  |  Spacecraft & Technology  |  Animations  |  Space Images App  |  Feedback  |  Photojournal Search  

PIA20532: Jason-3 Produces First Global Map of Sea Surface Height
The U.S./European Jason-3 satellite has produced its first map of sea surface height. El Nino is visible as the red blob in the eastern equatorial Pacific.
 Target Name:  Earth
 Is a satellite of:  Sol (our sun)
 Mission:  Jason-3 
 Spacecraft:  Jason-3
 Product Size:  4769 x 5500 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  NASA 
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA20532.tif (20.12 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA20532.jpg (1.521 MB)  

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

The U.S./European Jason-3 satellite has produced its first map of sea surface height, which corresponds well to data from its predecessor, Jason-2. Higher-than-normal sea levels are red; lower-than-normal sea levels are blue. El Niño is visible as the red blob in the eastern equatorial Pacific.

Extending the timeline of ocean surface topography measurements begun by the Topex/Poseidon and Jason 1 and 2 satellites, Jason 3 will make highly detailed measurements of sea-level on Earth to gain insight into ocean circulation and climate change.

The satellite successfully launched on January 17, 2016, and like its predecessors (Jason 1 and 2, and Topex/Poseidon), is a cooperative of agencies and organizations around the world.

For more information on Jason-3, visit: http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason3/.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Ocean Surface Topography Science Team

Image Addition Date:
2016-03-16