NASA's New 3D Model Reveals Earth's Lumpy Gravitational Field

NASA has unveiled a new visualization of Earth's geoid, highlighting the irregular shape of the planet's gravitational field. Unlike the smooth Blue Marble seen from space, this model appears lumpy with bulges and depressions caused by uneven mass distribution within Earth.

The visualization exaggerates gravitational variations by a factor of 10,000 to make them visible. It is based on satellite data collected over 15 years, comprising a billion observations. NASA also provided an interactive 3D model and a longer video for exploration.

Measuring gravity offers more than striking visuals. NASA and the European Space Agency operate satellites under the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) program, which track ice loss in Antarctica and Greenland. Between 2002 and 2025, Antarctica lost approximately 135 gigatons of ice per year, while Greenland lost 264 gigatons annually. Improving these estimates is vital for understanding current and future sea-level rise.

GRACE data also monitors groundwater depletion and drought. It shows long-term groundwater loss in the western U.S. and elsewhere. The extreme drought fueling fires in Spain and France this summer is visible in GRACE observations. An analysis from the University of Nebraska indicates that soil moisture and shallow groundwater are at or near record lows in parts of the region.

As climate change intensifies drought in many areas, such observations provide valuable guidance for water managers in arid regions.