AirSWOT Radar Water Surface Elevations for Louisiana Deltas

Water surface elevation measurements were collected via AirSWOT's Ka-band radar interferometry during the 2021 Delta-X campaign. The dataset provides point-based elevation data for the Atchafalaya and Terrebonne basins in coastal Louisiana, processed to Level 3 by filtering and averaging heights. It is produced by the ORNL_CLOUD organization and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Calibrating elevation and slope models for main river channels using water surface elevation points.
• Tying local water observations to open ocean tidal conditions for boundary condition analysis.
• Studying two-dimensional floodplain discharge dynamics in large delta channels.
• Providing boundary condition data for models simulating potential overflow from channels to islands and floodplains.

Strengths

• Data is derived from specialized Ka-band radar interferometry (AirSWOT), a precise remote sensing method.
• Covers two distinct deployment periods (Spring and Fall 2021) for temporal comparison.
• Targeted collection over larger channels provides necessary boundary conditions for hydrological models.
• Presence on multiple authoritative platforms (NASA Earthdata, Data.gov) signals importance and review.

Limitations

• Performance in vegetated floodplain areas is noted as limited due to radar interference and very small slopes.
• A conflict exists on the last updated date between sources (2021-09-12 vs. 2026-03-13).
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and column names are not provided by any source, limiting initial assessment.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD organization, collected as part of the NASA Delta-X mission.

Collection Method

AirSWOT near-nadir wide-swath Ka-band radar interferometry, processed to Level 3 by masking land, filtering, and averaging heights to selected points.

Time Range

2021 (Spring and Fall deployments)

Freshness

2026-03-13 03:17:50.624342

Geography

Atchafalaya and Terrebonne basins, Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana, USA