Surface water

Abstract

Spaceborne and airborne remote sensing measurements have been used to characterize inundated area, water elevations, and water biogeochemical constituents. Surface water is easily distinguished from surrounding terrain by active and passive sensors at a variety of wavelengths, permitting for the characterization of inundated area. Ranging instruments have been used to characterize water surface elevations, permitting the estimation of storage changes and river discharge, which are two crucial terms in the water balance. Remote sensing instruments have also been used to map water quality in terms of biogeochemical constituents. The recent launch of ALOS PALSAR in January 2006 is expected to greatly increase the ability to effectively map floodplains and wetlands from space. The proposed launch of SWOT in 2013-2016 has the potential to allow for more detailed characterization of surface water storage changes and discharge than has so far been possible from a spaceborne platform.