A satellite built for NASA and the French space agency has been launched into low-Earth orbit to observe nearly all the water on the Earth’s surface. The mission is expected to last for three years.
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and the ocean on more than 90% of Earth’s surface. This information will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change such as how a warming world affects lakes, rivers, and reservoirs as well as how communities can better prepare for disasters such as floods.
“Warming seas, extreme weather, more severe wildfires – these are only some of the consequences humanity is facing due to climate change,” explained NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “The climate crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, and SWOT is the realization of a long-standing international partnership that will ultimately better equip communities so that they can face these challenges.”
SWOT will cover the entire Earth’s surface between 78 degrees north and 78 degrees south latitude at least once every 21 days, sending back about one terabyte of unprocessed data per day.
The SWOT mission will provide a much clearer picture of Earth’s freshwater bodies. It will provide data on more than 95% of the Earth’s lakes larger than 15 acres and rivers wider than 330 feet across. Currently, researchers have accurate measurements for only a few thousand lakes around the world. SWOT will increase that number into the millions.
SWOT measurements will allow researchers, policymakers and resource managers to plan for things, including floods and droughts. By providing information on where the water is – where it is coming from and where it is going – researchers can improve flood projections for rivers and monitor drought effects on reservoirs and lakes.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-launches-international-mission-to-survey-earth-s-water