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Arctic Sea Ice

AVERAGE SEPTEMBER EXTENT

Data source: Satellite observations. Credit: NSIDC/NASA
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12.8
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Every summer, phytoplankton spread across the North Atlantic, with blooms spanning hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles. Blooms off Scandinavia seem to be particularly intense in summer 2018.
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A vortex of lighter green phytoplankton swirls in the North Atlantic.
Summer blooms in the Baltic
Video: Scientists combined an array of NASA satellite observations of Earth with data on human activities to map locations where freshwater is changing around the globe and why.
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For 15 years, GRACE tracked freshwater movements around the world
Video: For 15 years, GRACE tracked freshwater movements around the world
Video: Winter temperatures are soaring in the Arctic for the fourth winter in a row.
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NASA studies an unusual Arctic warming event
NASA studies an unusual Arctic warming event
Video: Global sea level rise is accelerating incrementally over time rather than increasing at a steady rate.
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New study finds sea level rise accelerating
Video: New study finds sea level rise accelerating
Video: NASA's Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) and Operation IceBridge missions investigate Greenland's thinning ice sheets from above and below.
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Video: Greenland's thinning ice
Video: Greenland's thinning ice
Video: The ocean's important role in absorbing heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
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Ocean circulation plays an important role in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere
Video: Ocean circulation plays an important role in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere
Video: A visualization of the annual Arctic sea ice "minimum" for each year from 1979 through 2018.
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Annual Arctic sea ice minimum 1979-2018 with area graph
Video: Annual Arctic sea ice minimum 1979-2018 with area graph
Video: Images created from GRACE data showing changes in Antarctic ice mass since 2002.
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Antarctic ice loss 2002-2016
Video: Antarctic ice loss 2002-2016
Video: Images created from GRACE data showing changes in Greenland ice mass since 2002.
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Greenland ice loss 2002-2016
Video: Greenland ice loss 2002-2016
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Seasonal changes in carbon dioxide
Video: Seasonal changes in carbon dioxide
Video: The NASA satellite fleet in 2017, from low Earth orbit to the DSCOVR satellite taking in the million-mile view.
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Video: NASA's vantage point to view Earth
Video: NASA's vantage point to view Earth
Video: NASA scientists release the first new global map of Earth at night since 2012.
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Video: Lights of human activity shine in NASA's image of Earth at night
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Video: Explore how scientists determine glacial speed from space.
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At glacial speed
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Video: Using observations from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) satellite, scientists developed a model of the behavior of carbon in the atmosphere from September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015.
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Following carbon dioxide through the atmosphere
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Video: Simulation of global clouds and aerosols from September 1, 2005, to December 31, 2005.
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Video: Simulated clouds and aerosols
Video: Simulated clouds and aerosols
Video: total sea level change between 1992 and 2014, based on data collected from the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and Jason-2 satellites.
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Video: 22-year sea level rise
Video: 22-year sea level rise
Video: how different factors, both natural and industrial, contribute to global warming.
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How global warming stacks up
Video: How global warming stacks up
Video: Two key climate change indicators have broken numerous records through the first half of 2016.
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Record-breaking climate trends in 2016
Video: Record-breaking climate trends in 2016
A super high-definition view of how carbon dioxide in the air moves around the world with the winds.
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Super HD view of global carbon dioxide
Video: Super HD view of global carbon dioxide
A detailed look at Jupiter's and Earth's atmospheres and cores as we unlock mysteries of the solar system.
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Jupiter and Earth: Giant discoveries ahead
Infographic: Jupiter and Earth: Giant discoveries ahead
Color-coded map of changing global surface temperature anomalies from 1880 through 2017. 
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Graphic: Global warming from 1880 to 2017
Graphic: Global warming from 1880 to 2017
NASA scientists are working to understand if our land and ocean can continue to absorb carbon dioxide at the current rate – and for how long.
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Infographic: Earth's carbon cycle is off balance
Infographic: Earth's carbon cycle is off balance
We know seas are rising and we know why. The urgent questions are by how much and how quickly.
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Infographic: Sea level rise
Infographic: Sea level rise
Track Earth's vital signs and fly along with NASA's Earth-observing satellites.
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Eyes on the Earth
Interactive: Eyes on the Earth
NASA's new Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 space satellite will probe the carbon cycle like never before, telling us where the carbon is going and giving us clues as to where we will end up.
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Atmospheric carbon dioxide is at its highest level in human history and is changing our climate before our eyes. NASA's new Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 space satellite will probe the carbon cycle like never before, telling us where the carbon is going and giving us clues as to where we will end up.
Graphic: Measuring carbon dioxide from space

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