< Blog
April 2, 2021
Interviews with AP
By Marc SimardAll Delta-X airborne instruments flew again today—AirSWOT, UAVSAR and AVIRIS-NG. Delta-X airborne data collection is finished with the Atchafalaya basin!
The Water Quality Team hurries to get measurements in for an AVIRIS-NG overflight
- AirSWOT’s Jack Bush completed another Atchafalaya Basin flight plan today and collected 23 data lines successfully in the 5.6 hour flight. A record number of lines.
- AVIRIS-NG’s John Chapman and Luis Rios collected all lines in Terrebonne boxes A and B in the morning. These are the lines on the southern edge of Terrebonne bay. After going back to Lake Front Airport to refuel, AVIRIS-NG collected the two priority water quality lines along the Wax Lake Outlet and the Atchafalaya River to capture the impact of receding tide on turbidity. AVRIS-NG then continued, collecting all of Terrebonne low priority box A and two lines in box B, as well as the Barataria low priority line A and line F on the transit back to the airport. Another very productive day due to cloud-free skies.
- UAVSAR’s Tim Miller successfully acquired all 18 planned flight lines in Atchafalaya.
Today was the last field day for Caltech’s Island Team.
- The Islands Team collected depth profiles on the east end of Mike Island in concert with Cedric Fichot’s Water Quality Team and AVIRIS-NG, and went toward the Wax Lake Delta apex.
- Gerard Salter and Justin Nghiem surveyed the 3 intensive sites.
- The Islands Team took down all of their tripods on Mike Island.
- Caltech will remain 2 more days to complete water filtering in their cabin prior to returning to California.
Tracing turbidity using the LISST instrument
The Water Quality Team was around Mike Island, out to the Atchafalaya Bay and at tripod locations.
Cedric Fichot is ready for an interview
- They performed tracing of turbidity using the Laser In Situ Size Transmissometer (LISST) instrument.
- The team measured at 3 stations within the AVIRIS overflight window: one side channel just north of apex, Mike East, and the main WLO channel. These measurements were very close to AVIRIS-NG overflight.
Bill collected two cycles of ADCP transects along the Wax Lake Outlet and around the Wax Lake delta fan.
Bill Gibson collects ADCP transects
Posing in the field
Robert Twilley accompanied a small team from the Associated Press to Mike Island. The AP interviewed the Islands and Water Quality teams as well as Bill with his ADCP. The teams were able to show off the tripods and turbidity sensors.