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The Role of Evaporation and Precipitation (00:06:26)
[05-Mar-13] The patterns of evaporation and precipitation can tell us a lot about the state of the Earth's water cycle. Dr. Raymond Schmitt illustrates the overall patterns by comparing precipitation and evaporation over time across the globe. Salinity - measured by Aquarius from space and measured in by a variety of in-water instruments in SPURS (Salinity Processes in the Upper Ocean Regional Study) - is an indicator of these patterns of precipitation and evaporation, and measuring it can tell us a great deal about the water cycle in a changing climate. Credit: Raymond Schmitt.