New Satellite Study Unveils Map of Lunar Water Near Moon's South Pole
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, led by NASA and CNES, has provided the first detailed images of ocean currents like the Gulf Stream, using its Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) instrument. The satellite will measure the elevation of nearly all the water on Earth’s surface and provide one of the most comprehensive surveys yet of our planet’s surface water. SWOT’s measurements of freshwater bodies and the ocean will provide insights into how the ocean influences climate change and the water cycle, how a warming world affects water storage in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, and how communities can better manage their water resources and prepare for floods and other disasters.