Observation of hydrological features with Nimbus-7 37 GHz data, applied to South America

Abstract

The microwave polarization difference temperature (MPDT) prepared from 37 GHz Scanning Multifrequency Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) data from the Nimbus-7 satellite allows a unique vision of hydrological features, especially of humid areas. From the series of monthly images from 1979 to 1985 the major hydrological features of four major river basins of South America are briefly examined. These include rivers of the Amazon, La Plata, Orinoco and Sao Francisco basins, wetlands in the La Plata and Amazon basins and floods in the La Plata basin. Many hydrological features appear much as they do on conventional maps. An interesting perspective can be derived from the ways in which they differ from conventional maps.