A team of scientists has sifted through two decades of climate data collected by NASA's laser pulses, and says it paints a sobering picture while underscoring the need to continue such missions. "Satellite laser altimeters accurately measure how the Earth's surface is evolving on a global scale," says study co-author Beata Csatho, Ph.D., professor and co-chair of the University at Buffalo's Department of Geology in the College of Arts and Sciences. .

"Repeated measurements could reveal even small changes in the elevation of land, ice and water levels, which is critical to understanding the processes that drive these changes and their impact."

A satellite laser altimeter sends a pulse of laser beam from space that illuminates a specific area on Earth and then bounces back. The topography – height and shape – of an area can be determined by how far the laser travels and how long it takes to bounce back. (Tom Dinki, University at Buffalo, phys.org)