Observing the solid Earth, oceans and land waters from space

LEGOS-CNES-CNRS-UPS, 18 avenue Edouard Belin, 31401 Toulouse Cedex 9, France

Abstract

In this article, we present a number of significant results related to the solid Earth and its fluid envelopes obtained in the recent years/decades using remote sensing techniques. We first discuss measurements of the Earth gravity field at different spatial scales and the recovery of seafloor topography from satellite altimetry. We briefly mention precise positioning results based on GPS and other space techniques, and applications to tectonic motions and crustal deformations. Next we discuss recent advances in ocean dynamics based on high-precision satellite altimetry missions, and focus on sea level rise. We also discuss how remote sensing techniques, including space gravimetry, inform on the mass balance of the ice sheets and corresponding contribution to sea level rise. As a final example, we report on the monitoring of surface water levels (lakes, rivers, floodplains) by satellite altimetry and on total land water storage change at river basin scale, using space gravimetry observations.