The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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ERS-2's Radar Altimeter generated this annual mean sea level height map for 1996. The 'normal' state of the ocean is such that the sea level on the western side of the Pacific Ocean is higher than on the eastern side. This difference is due to the Trade Winds blowing constantly from east to west, causing the waters to pile up at the western side. Also due to the Trade Winds, the surface water on the eastern side is constantly transported westward, and replaced by cold, nutritious water that comes from deeper layers. So generally along the South American coast, cold and nutritious waters prevail, while on the western side this is warm surface water. During an El Nino event the Trade Winds relax, and become very weak (and may even reverse). This causes the warm surface waters to flow back eastward, and stops the upwelling on the eastern side. No more upwelling means that the sea surface temperatures rise - implying a sea level rise. Effects can be monitored using altimetry data. [Image Date: 1996] [97.11.014-001]