- Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: A Textbook That Teaches You How to Think Ethically Click Here to Read More →
- 21 Sept. | Forum Residential Coaching (FRC) for UPSC preparation Click Here to know more →
- 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 10th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
Contents
Source: The post is based on the article “NASA set to launch first global water survey satellite” published in The Hindu on 20th December 2022
What is the News?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite from Southern California by SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
What is Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT)?
SWOT is an advanced radar satellite jointly developed and operated by NASA and CNES, the French space agency in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and UK Space Agency (UKSA).
Objectives: 1) To make the first global survey of the Earth’s surface water, 2) To observe the fine details of the ocean surface topography and 3) To measure how terrestrial surface water bodies change over time.
Features: The satellite incorporates advanced microwave radar technology to collect high-definition measurements of oceans, lakes, reservoirs and rivers over 90% of the globe.
What is the significance of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission?
Firstly, SWOT will provide a significantly clearer picture of Earth’s freshwater bodies. It will provide data on more than 95% of the world’s lakes. Currently, freshwater researchers have reliable measurements for only a few thousand lakes around the world.
Secondly, it will also be able to improve the accuracy of flood forecasts and provide scientists with more precise monitoring of impending droughts, rising sea levels, and life on Earth.
Thirdly, it will help explore how oceans absorb atmospheric heat and carbon dioxide in a process that naturally regulates global temperatures and has helped to minimize climate change.
– Oceans are estimated to have absorbed more than 90% of the excess heat trapped in Earth’s atmosphere by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
