Designed to make the first-ever global study of Earths surface area water, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography, or SWOT, satellite is collecting in-depth measurements of how water bodies in the world modification gradually. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Data on sea surface heights around the world from the worldwide Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission yields a mesmerizing view of the worlds ocean.
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite is sending down alluring views of Earths water, consisting of a worldwide composite of sea surface heights. The satellite collected the information pictured above throughout SWOTs first full 21-day science orbit, which it completed in between July 26 and August 16.
SWOT is determining the height of nearly all water on Earths surface, offering one of the most detailed, extensive views yet of the planets oceans and freshwater lakes and rivers. The satellite is a cooperation in between NASA and the French space firm, CNES (Centre National dÉtudes Spatiales).
The animation below programs sea surface area height anomalies around the world: Red and orange suggest ocean heights that were higher than the international mean sea surface area height, while blue represents heights lower than the mean. Sea level differences can highlight ocean currents, like the Gulf Stream coming off the U.S. East Coast or the Kuroshio existing off the east coast of Japan. Sea surface height can also indicate regions of reasonably warmer water– like the eastern part of the equatorial Pacific Ocean throughout an El Niño– since water broadens as it warms.
This animation shows worldwide sea level data collected by the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite from July 26 to August 16. Red and orange indicate higher-than-average ocean heights, while blue represents lower-than-average heights.
Understanding Sea Surface Heights
The animation below shows sea surface height anomalies all over the world: Red and orange show ocean heights that were greater than the worldwide mean sea surface area height, while blue represents heights lower than the mean. Water level differences can highlight ocean currents, like the Gulf Stream coming off the U.S. East Coast or the Kuroshio present off the east coast of Japan. Because water broadens as it warms, Sea surface area height can also suggest regions of fairly warmer water– like the eastern part of the equatorial Pacific Ocean throughout an El Niño–.
This animation reveals global water level data collected by the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite from July 26 to August 16. Red and orange indicate higher-than-average ocean heights, while blue represents lower-than-average heights. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The SWOT science group made the measurements using the groundbreaking Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) instrument. With two antennas spread out 33 feet (10 meters) apart on a boom, KaRIn produces a pair of data swaths (tracks visible in the animation) as it circles the world, bouncing radar pulses off the waters surface area to gather surface-height measurements.
” The detail that SWOT is returning on water level worldwide is amazing,” stated Parag Vaze, SWOT project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “The information will advance research study into the effects of environment change and help neighborhoods worldwide better prepare for a warming world.”
This illustration reveals the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite in orbit with its solar panels and KaRIn instrument antennas released. Credit: CNES
Surface Area Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT).
Released on December 16, 2022, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in main California, SWOT is now in its operations stage, gathering information that will be used for research study and other functions.
SWOT was jointly established by NASA and CNES, with contributions from CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and the UK Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, leads the U.S. element of the job. For the flight system payload, NASA supplied the KaRIn instrument, a GPS science receiver, a laser retroreflector, a two-beam microwave radiometer, and NASA instrument operations. CNES offered the Doppler Orbitography and Radioposition Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) system, the double frequency Poseidon altimeter (developed by Thales Alenia Space), the KaRIn radio-frequency subsystem (together with Thales Alenia Space and with support from the UK Space Agency), the satellite platform, and ground operations. CSA offered the KaRIn high-power transmitter assembly. NASA supplied the launch car and the agencys Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, handled the associated launch services.
