Evaporation minus precipitation

Evaporation Minus Precipitation 1981-2002

Alt Tag: Evaporation minus precipitation.
Description: To track changes in sea surface salinity patterns over time, scientists monitor the relationship between two primary processes in the oceans: 1) evaporation (E) which controls the loss of water; and 2) precipitation (P) which governs the gain of water. Now that Aquarius has launched, scientists will be able to produce accurate maps of sea surface salinity that correlates to global (E - P). Thus, we will observe how the ocean responds to variability in the water cycle, from season-to-season and year-to-year. Credit: Gary Lagerloef.