Over thousands of years, tectonic activity in Earth’s crust shifts and alters landforms. Geological features that result from tectonic activity can include mountain ranges, volcanoes, plateaus, and rift valleys. While tectonic landforms often take thousands or millions of years to form, studying them tells us important things about how tectonic activity affects us today. 

NASA’s Earth-observing satellites collect data that help measure land height and crustal deformation, as well as the more short-term effects of tectonic activity such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. These datasets enable scientists to study how Earth’s landmasses and geological features formed, and how they will continue to change in the future.