Science and Technology Applications
Just within the past decade, Earth scientists have developed sophisticated computer models that integrate their observations of the planet's surface, allowing them a greater understanding of natural systems and a more reliable method for predicting changes in the atmosphere, land, and sea that are brought on by natural events and human-induced activities.
Topographic data are critical to the accuracy of these computer models. That is because Earth's shape determines the flow of air, water, and ice, and the geography of all life, including people. Topographic data also give scientists clues about the underlying structure of the Earth, including its tectonic activity.
The data will have a variety of uses in scientific disciplines ranging from hydrology, geology, and archaeology to ecology and studies of urban development and its impact on the environment.
Hydrology concentrates on the storage, distribution, and movement of water as rain and snow, in streams and rivers, within the soil as ground water, and as glaciers and ice caps. Scientists have developed models for the Earth's water cycle, and topography plays a key role in determining the flow of water through this complex system.
Threats to water resources from groundwater pollution or climate change can be evaluated using these models. Flood predictions are another important product of accurate hydrological models. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission will give scientists globally consistent topographic data for these models, allowing them to better understand natural resources in abundance and scarcity throughout the world.
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