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The SGB/CPRM (Geological Survey of Brazil) and IRD (France) realized a joint field work on the Amazon River for the calibration and validation (CalVal) phase of the Swot Satellite.

Situation map (Credit SGB/CPRM-IRD).

Calnageo tracked by a speed boat next to the fully instrumented boat utilized during the field work (Credit SGB/CPRM-IRD).

Measurements of the Amazon flow using ADCP instruments at Óbidos gauge station (Credit SGB/CPRM-IRD).

The SGB/CPRM (Geological Survey of Brazil) and IRD (France) realized a joint field work on the Amazon River for the calibration and validation (CalVal) phase of the Swot Satellite. The field work took place from the 14th to the 24th of May near to cities of Óbidos and Santarém in the state of Pará in Brazil, which is a zone covered by the Swot CalVal one-day orbit. The team was composed of experts from Legos, GET, IRD in French Guyana, SGB/CPRM and UFOPA (Federal University from West-Pará State). 

During 10 days, the experts navigated on rivers and floodplain lakes to collect data using several instruments installed on two boats, including GNSS receiver, radar, ADCP to measure flow and echosounder to measure bathymetry and the special "Canageo" floating device that collect unprecedented water level surface observations. The team also retrieved water level data from ANA/SGB permanent gauge stations and from two level pressure sensor hat were installed during the preparatory field campaign in 2022.

The team also realized an AUV Lidar/photogrametry survey in order to map important features of the Curuai floodplain lake. Such observations are key information to support the validation of Swot surface water extent products and to quantify the impact of vegetation on Swot measurements. 

This field work is funded by Cnes, Swot Science Team Project "Swot for South America" and in the frame of the CPRM/SGB-IRD project Dinâmica Fluvial.

From the 3rd to the 21st of June, the team will continue its 1-day orbit Swot CalVal survey with a field trip on the Upper Rio Negro in Brazil.