NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS CORRELATIONS Science as Inquiry Ability to do scientific inquiry (5-8, 9-12) Understanding of scientific inquiry (5-8, 9-12) Earth and space science Energy in the earth system (9-12) MAURY PROJECT CORRELATIONS El Nino: The Atmosphere-Ocean Connection El Nino! La Nina!

A recent article from the Environmental News Network ("El Niņo spurs rise in global average sea level", December 9, 1998) explains that by using TOPEX/Poseidon satellite measurements of sea surface height, scientists have been able to link El Niņo to a change in average global sea level for the first time. Through our link to the TOPEX/Poseidon home page, you can check out the data yourself, and ask your students if they can detect a trend. What does this change in average global sea level imply? Why is it important to understand these short-term variations caused by climate change? Investigate El Niņo and satellite oceanography further in our Climate & Atmosphere, Technology, and Lesson Plan Collections sections.