The SWOT Satellite: A Game-Changer in Measuring River Basins
Photo Credit: River in Alaska by Andrew Hanson
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission is set to revolutionize global hydrological research by improving measurements of river basins worldwide.
Using data from the SWOT satellite, launched in December, scientists aim to calculate the amount of water flowing in rivers. This river discharge data, reflecting the volume of water transported through a river cross-section, is expected to be available about a year after the satellite launch and will focus on rivers wider than 100 meters.
PI: Michael Durand
Lab: Measuring the Water Cycle