June 4, 2001 NASA would like to examine our home planet just as
scientists study living cells under a microscope or an atom in
an accelerator. NASA wants to understand how nature's energy is
transformed and used by Earth, and the role it plays in global
climate change. Advanced computing systems are the only tools we
have to model our planet as a whole interactive system to mimic
nature's behavior. NASA's Earth Science Enterprise is dedicated
to developing computer models that will unlock the secrets to
how natural and human-induced changes impact our global
environment. Unlike atoms and cells, which can be studied in the
laboratory, the only effective way to study the inner workings
and future course of our environment is through advanced
computer modeling capabilities, which will show global climate
change through computation of massive and complex mathematical
relationships. "Through math and science, and the advancement of
our computer capabilities, we can unlock the mysteries of our
planet's life cycle,"