Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
Many countries depend on underground aquifers (natural reserves of water) for an uninterrupted supply of fresh water. Yet how do we determine when these aquifers will begin to run out?
The USA obtains half of its fresh water from 16 million wells, with California alone pumping up 42 billion litres of water a day.
Wet ground contains more mass than dry ground (just as a wet sponge is heavier than a dry one). So the gravitational pull of wet ground is stronger than the gravitational pull of dry ground.
Find out how NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) measures these differences, to help determine the levels of available underground water.
Also meet Jennifer Bonin, a young research scientist at the University of South Florida, and find out why she loves her work so much.
Full preview below. Download the Educator Guide.
Film Type
KS3 - KS5 / Adults
Length: 6min