Ocean Physics at NASA

NASA Says 2022 Fifth Warmest Year on Record

Surface temperature tied with 2015 as 5th warmest and ocean heat content continues to rise

A dark black and grey map of the world with colorful lines representing surface temperatures in the oceans

SWOT Program Scientist gives Nature Water interview

In Nadya’s conversation with Nature Water, she speaks about what SWOT will bring and why SWOT matters.

Portrait photo of a woman with long blonde hair smiling and wearing a light colored blazer and blue shirt. She is sitting in front of a microphone and light blue backdrop.

Watch SWOT unfold in space

Cameras on SWOT captured instruments unfurling in orbit.

Video screenshot of SWOT satellite deployment

Successful SWOT launch

SWOT successfully launched and signal was acquired.

See SWOT get ready for launch

See how SWOT is delivered to it being placed into the rocket.

NASA Study: Rising Sea Level Approaching 1 ft

New results show average sea level rise approaching the 1-foot mark for most coastlines of the contiguous U.S. by 2050.

Photo of flooded residential neighborhood

Jump to: About | Science | Missions | Data | Partnerships | Contacts

About

The ocean plays a fundamental role in the Earth’s system. It shapes our planet’s climate and weather by absorbing, storing, and transporting large quantities of heat, water, moisture, and carbon dioxide. NASA’s Physical Oceanography (PO) program enables research that advances our understanding of the ocean’s role in climate. Our scientists utilize NASA satellite and sub-orbital data, climate models and data science to study ocean dynamics, sea level rise, hydrological cycle, and ocean interactions within the Earth system.

To join us and become a NASA scientist, apply to one of current NASA research opportunities.

Science and Research

NASA’s Physical Oceanography program directs multiple competitively-selected NASA’s Science Teams that study the physics of the oceans. Below are details about each science team.

Physical Oceanography (PO)

Sea Level Change (N-SLCT)

Ocean Surface Topography (OSTST)

Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)

Ocean Surface Salinity (OSST)

Ocean Vector Winds (OVWST)

Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

Estimating Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO)

Missions

PO program provides scientific leadership on the following missions:

Operational

Currently taking measurements

Salinity And Stratification at the Sea Ice Edge (SASSIE)
2021

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich/Jason-CS
November 2020

Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE)
April 2020

Jason-3
January 2016

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)
January 2015

Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer (COWVR)
2021

Future

Upcoming missions

Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)
2022

Sentinel-6B
2025

Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL)
2028

Non-Operational

Past missions providing data for current research

Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG)
July 2015

Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM)/Jason-2
2008-2019

QuikSCAT
1999-2018

SPURS 1&2
2012-2013 & 2016-2017

RapidScat
2014-2016

Aquarius
2011-2015

Jason-1
2001-2012

TOPEX/Poseidon
1992-2005

Seasat
1978

Access the Data

The Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) preserves NASA's ocean and climate open data and makes these universally accessible and meaningful.

Partnerships

PO program actively engages in the following national and international partnerships that work together to sustain and enhance the Earth observing system.