Sea-level changes are influenced by surface motions of solid Earth, such as regional ice melt and rebound of Earth’s surface following de-glaciation. Processes within solid Earth directly impact our environment. Many of ESA’s Earth observation satellites reveal key information about the structure of these internal layers and their interactions with each other and the cryosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and ionosphere. The processes deep inside Earth’s core and crust and on its surface are critical to understanding Earth’s system as a whole. This Earth Online Thematic article showcases the many ESA missions helping scientists better understand how solid Earth and its processes affect the planet’s changing environment. One root constituent of Earth’s system is “solid Earth”, meaning the inner core, the (liquid) outer core, the lower and upper mantle and the crust. As anthropogenic activities continue to unbalance our environment, scientists strive to fully understand the intricate interactions within Earth’s system.

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