The Delta Exchange (Delta-X) was a five-year campaign focused on environmental changes in the Mississippi River Delta. Delta-X had two deployments during the boreal spring and summer of 2021. Airborne imagery and sediment samples from the surrounding wetlands were collected to determine which parts of the Mississippi River Delta will survive rising sea levels. Several “Pre-Delta-X” deployments were carried out in 2015 and 2016, with validation activities happening in 2022. Delta-X is part of NASA's Earth Venture Suborbital-3 (EVS-3) projects.
2021-03-26 — 2023-09-30
Atchafalaya and Terrebonne basins of the Mississippi River Delta
The Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) is an airborne polarimetric L-band radar developed and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It provides differential interferometric measurements that help characterize deformation caused by phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, and glacial motion. UAVSAR operates at 1.26 GHz with a range bandwidth of 80 MHz. It offers a horizontal resolution of 6 meters and a swath width of 20 kilometers at an altitude of 12 kilometers.
The Air Surface Water and Ocean Topography (AirSWOT) is an airborne instrument suite developed to support calibration for the SWOT satellite mission. AirSWOT consists of three components: Ka-band SWOT Phenomenology Airborne Radar (KaSPAR), Digital Camera System, and Precision Inertial Motion Units (IMU). The KaSPAR — the main element of AirSWOT — collects across-track interferometric data to produce digital elevation models over land and water surfaces. It operates at 35.75 GHz and has a spatial resolution of 3.6 m.
Earth Science > Land Surface > Topography > Terrain Elevation
Earth Science > Land Surface > Topography > Terrain Elevation > Digital Elevation/terrain Model (dem)
Earth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Surface Water
The Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer—Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) is an airborne imaging spectrometer developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It captures visible and infrared imagery primarily for terrestrial ecology research. It operates from 380 to 2510 nm with a spectral resolution of 5 nm. It has a horizontal resolution of 8 m and a swath width of 4 km at an altitude of 8 km. Its measurement frequency is 100 Hz. It was designed to replace the AVIRIS Classic (AVIRIS-C).
The Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) is an in situ acoustic sensor that measures ocean currents. It uses the Doppler effect to detect sound waves, providing measurements of current speed and direction throughout the water column. It can be easily mounted on various water platforms, such as ships, buoys, and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Additionally, it can be deployed on the seafloor to provide profile measurements of ocean currents.
The LISST Submersible Particle Size Analyzer is a water-based, in situ particle analyzer manufactured by Sequoia Scientific. It uses laser diffraction to measure suspended particle size and concentration in aquatic environments, including the ocean, rivers, lakes, and streams. It provides particle size distribution from 1 μm to 500 μm across 36 size ranges. It has a maximum operating depth of 600 m, a resolution of 0.01 m, and a typical sampling rate of 1 Hz. The instrument's laser operates at 670 nm with an optical path of 25 mm.
Spectrometers are instruments that separate and analyze the spectral components of a substance. They typically measure electromagnetic radiation that has been reflected, absorbed, or transmitted by a sample. Spectrometers operate across the ultraviolet to infrared spectrum. The most common types include optical, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometers. They can be deployed on aircraft, research vessels, vehicles, and other ground-based platforms.
Turbidity sensors are in situ water quality sensors that measure the cloudiness, or turbidity, of a liquid caused by suspended particles. They are nephelometers that emit light and detect the amount of light scattered by particles in the water sample. These sensors are used to assess sediment levels and pollution in rivers and lakes, and to monitor the water quality of drinking water and industrial processes.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Optics
Earth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Water Quality/water Chemistry
Earth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Water Quality/water Chemistry > Water Characteristics > Turbidity
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Optics > Turbidity
A Singlebeam Echo Sounder System (SBES) is an in situ acoustic sensor that measures water depth to the seafloor. SBES determines water depth by measuring the travel time of a sonar signal in two directions. SBES operate at a single frequency, typically 24-33 kHz for deeper water surveys and 200-400 kHz for shallow water surveys. SBES can operate in water depths from under 100 meters to 6,000 meters.
Earth Science > Oceans > Bathymetry/seafloor Topography > Water Depth
Turbidity sensors are in situ water quality sensors that measure the cloudiness, or turbidity, of a liquid caused by suspended particles. They are nephelometers that emit light and detect the amount of light scattered by particles in the water sample. These sensors are used to assess sediment levels and pollution in rivers and lakes, and to monitor the water quality of drinking water and industrial processes.
Earth Science > Oceans > Ocean Optics
Earth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Water Quality/water Chemistry
Earth Science > Terrestrial Hydrosphere > Water Quality/water Chemistry > Water Characteristics > Turbidity
