hydrospheres
Planetary water systems
Hydrospheres is the plural of hydrosphere—the total water on, under, and above a planet's surface.
Earth's hydrosphere includes oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, ice caps, and atmospheric water vapor.
The term appears in discussions of climate, geology, and planetary science: Scientists study how hydrospheres interact with atmospheres to understand climate patterns.
Continuous planetary moisture movement
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
- groundwaterWater in underground rock
surface water · aquifers · glaciers · ice caps · water vapor · runoff · transpiration · reservoirs
Vast saltwater bodies
- seasLarge saltwater bodies
- marineRelating to the sea
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
- currentsDirectional flows of movement
tides · deep water · coastal · ocean basins · seafloor · thermohaline · marine ecosystems · coral reefs
Planetary atmospheric transformation
- water resourcesAvailable natural freshwater supplies
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
- ecosystemsInterdependent organism-environment systems
biodiversity · sustainability · water scarcity · flooding · drought · wetlands · ice melt · sea level rise
Our world
- MarsRed planet, war deity
- EuropaGalilean moon with subsurface ocean
- EnceladusIcy moon with geysers
- exoplanetsWorlds orbiting other stars
Titan · water distribution · planetary science · astrobiology · habitable zones · terraforming · extraterrestrial · habitability
water cycle
Continuous planetary moisture movement
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
groundwater · surface water · aquifers · glaciers · ice caps · water vapor · runoff · transpiration · reservoirs · freshwater
oceans
Vast saltwater bodies
currents · tides · deep water · coastal · ocean basins · seafloor · thermohaline · marine ecosystems · coral reefs · continental shelves
climate change
Planetary atmospheric transformation
- water resourcesAvailable natural freshwater supplies
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
ecosystems · biodiversity · sustainability · water scarcity · flooding · drought · wetlands · ice melt · sea level rise · acidification
Earth
Our world
exoplanets · Titan · water distribution · planetary science · astrobiology · habitable zones · terraforming · extraterrestrial · habitability · space exploration
hydrospheresdeserts
Abandons or barren lands
arid zones · dry land · terra firma · drylands · landmasses