SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

International SWOT Mission Can Improve Flood Prediction

A partnership between NASA and the French space agency, the satellite is poised to help improve forecasts of where and when flooding will occur in Earth’s rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are like our planet’s arteries, carrying life-sustaining water in interconnected networks.

Posted May 7, 2024

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Earth

Earth Science

Earth Science Division

Water on Earth

NASA-Led Study Provides New Global Accounting of Earth’s Rivers

The novel approach to estimating river water storage and discharge also identifies regions marked by ‘fingerprints’ of intense water use. A study led by NASA researchers provides new estimates of how much water courses through Earth’s rivers, the rates at which it’s flowing into the ocean, and how much both of those figures have fluctuated […]

Posted April 26, 2024

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Earth

Earth Science

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Water on Earth

SWOT Satellite Helps Gauge the Depth of Death Valley’s Temporary Lake

Data from the international Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission helped researchers to calculate the depth of water in this transient freshwater body. California’s Death Valley, the driest place in North America, has hosted an ephemeral lake since late 2023.

Posted April 15, 2024

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Earth

Extreme Weather Events

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Oceans

Water on Earth

SWOT Satellite Catches Coastal Flooding During California Storms

Operated by NASA and the French space agency, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission provides a new view of water on land, at the coast, and in the ocean. A series of atmospheric rivers drenched California in February, with record amounts of rainfall and hurricane-force winds sweeping across parts of the state. At one […]

Posted March 5, 2024

Earth

GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment)

GRACE-FO (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-on)

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Water on Earth

Google’s ‘A Passage of Water’ Brings NASA’s Water Data to Life

As part of the long-standing partnership, NASA worked with Google Arts & Culture to create an interactive digital experience around global freshwater.

Posted November 30, 2023

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Earth

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Oceans

Water on Earth

NASA Analysis Finds Strong El Niño Could Bring Extra Floods This Winter

Such high-tide flooding that inundates roads and buildings along the west coast of the Americas tends to be uncommon outside of El Niño years, but that could change by the 2030s. An analysis by NASA’s sea level change science team finds that if a strong El Niño develops this winter, cities along the western coasts […]

Posted November 8, 2023

SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)

Climate Change

Earth

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Oceans

Water on Earth

See SWOT Mission’s Unprecedented View of Global Sea Levels

Data on sea surface heights around the world from the international Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission yields a mesmerizing view of the planet’s ocean. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite is sending down tantalizing views of Earth’s water, including a global composite of sea surface heights.

Posted October 30, 2023