SWOT Satellite Revolutionizes Ocean Understanding with Unprecedented Detail
The SWOT satellite, launched in December 2022, is revolutionizing our understanding of the ocean. Led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the SWOT CalVal campaign has been calibrating and validating the satellite's measurements using instrument-laden moorings off the California coast. Scripps oceanographer Sarah Gille, who hosted one of the first international SWOT workshops 15 years ago, describes SWOT as a 'game-changer' for ocean behavior and climate studies.
SWOT, short for Surface Water and Ocean Topography, is designed to measure sea surface topography. It can image the entire planet's surface, including 73% of it covered by water, in just three weeks. The satellite takes images of swaths of ocean 120 kilometers wide, providing high-resolution data down to two kilometers. This unprecedented detail allows for new insights into ocean phenomena and climate change.
The Scripps team, led by over a dozen researchers, has been instrumental in SWOT's success. They deployed moorings 10 kilometers apart where SWOT flies overhead twice daily, synchronizing measurements. Additionally, they used their MASS instrument aboard a NASA jet to validate the satellite's readings. Drew Lucas, a Scripps oceanographer, describes the data as a 'generational shift' in understanding sea surface topography.
The SWOT satellite, with its high-resolution imaging and comprehensive coverage, is transforming our understanding of the ocean. Scripps Institution of Oceanography's integral role in its calibration and validation ensures accurate and reliable data. As new uses for the data emerge across various scientific disciplines, SWOT continues to unlock the secrets of our planet's vast and dynamic oceans.
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