Progress in River Discharge Estimation from Satellite Measurements and Modelling

The monitoring of river discharge is paramount in water resource management, flood and drought risk assessment, and climate change studies. River discharge is commonly estimated indirectly by ground hydro-monitoring networks via the measurement of flow velocity, water level and cross-section area. As a complementary source of monitoring, Earth Observation provides near real time measurements of some of these variables at expanded spatial coverage, low costs and reduced risk to field hydrographers. During the last twenty years a large number of satellites and sensors using microwaves, Visible/Near Infrared and other technologies have been used for quantifying and monitoring the extent of open water bodies (optical, radiometers and radars), water levels (radar and laser altimetry), and global water storage change (gravimetry). To maximize the accuracy in retrieving river discharge, many studies have focused on the use of new techniques and methods aimed at integrating the information obtained from ground and satellite measurements. Combined with fit-for-purpose hydrodynamic models, satellite and in situ data are viable ways to explore the physical processes driving river discharge and hence to adopt efficient strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on the water cycle.

In this Research Topic, we welcome manuscripts concerned with all aspects of the remote measurement of river discharge from various types of remotely sensed data (active or passive, optical, Synthetic Aperture Radar, altimeter, gravimetry) acquired from satellites sensors. It also welcomes contributions using a combination of different techniques (e.g., physically based models, empirical formulas or artificial intelligence techniques) or an integration of different sources of data (satellite remote sensing, manned or unmanned aircraft, in-situ). Contributions that cover aspects related to the assimilation of remote sensing data within hydrodynamic models are also welcomed and encouraged.

Keywords: river discharge, water resource management, data modelling, satellite, remote sensing

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.