Water on the move

By measuring Earth’s gravity in detail, the MAGIC mission promises to yield new information on the distribution and motion of water in oceans, ice sheets, glaciers, snow, near the surface and, uniquely among all space sensing technology, also underground. As part of ESA’s FutureEO programme, this mission would take measuring gravity from space to the next level, particularly thanks to its ability to zoom in on mass change, mass exchanges and water transport processes with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution and accuracy.

MAGIC’s enhanced observations are essential to helping meet the demanding new requirements for monitoring terrestrial water storage as an Essential Climate Variable, as defined by GCOS.