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Bolivian Salt Flats Aid Spacecraft Calibration

Posted by Zonk on from the wait-just-one-okay-wait-no-wait-i'll-get-it-wait-hold-on-okay-wait dept.

PCOL writes "Salar de Uyuni is a vast plain of white salt in the mountains of Bolivia, with a total elevation range of less than 80 centimeters - the flattest place on earth. Beginning in 2002, geophysicist Adrian Borsa led a survey that resulted in precise GPS measurements of the salt flat. The flats will be used as a giant calibration device for satellite-based radar and laser altimeters on the CryoSat recovery mission so the spacecraft can more precisely monitor changes in the elevation and thickness of polar ice sheets and floating sea ice. 'Satellites can calibrate their altimeters by bouncing signals off the ocean surface .. because of atmospheric interference, tides and waves, there are uncertainties. Borsa says the salar, now so accurately mapped and with dry, clear skies, is about five times better than the ocean as a reference point.'"

9 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. i've got a bad feeling about this... by User+956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bolivian Salt Flats Aid Spacecraft Calibration

    Many Bolivians died to bring us this information.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  2. Evil Supergeniouses by Protonk · · Score: 2, Funny

    How long until the League of Evil (or some such nonsense) invents a dastardly plan to mess with satellite location calibration by digging giant holes in the salt flats?

    Hey. It's more credible than Goldeneye. :)

  3. Alternatives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Didn't anyone tell these guys about the Netherlands?

    1. Re:Alternatives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Didn't anyone tell these guys about the Netherlands? Yeah, but the Netherlands would probably make arrays to catch all of the energy being directed from space so that they could reduce their CO2 output even more. And that sort of defeats the purpose. Why would you make a fancy satellite to measure ice loss if the Netherlands is trying to stop it (both the radar calibration and the ice loss).
  4. Wow by moosesocks · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Salar de Uyuni is a vast plain of white salt in the mountains of Bolivia, with a total elevation range of less than 80 centimeters - the flattest place on earth. Beginning in 2002, geophysicist Adrian Borsa led a survey that resulted in precise GPS measurements of the salt flat. The


    In other news, Adrian Borsa* has the most boring and tedious job on the planet.

    *Or his grad students
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    -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
  5. Using the Bolivian Salt flats by philpalm · · Score: 2, Funny

    What? and Bolivia won't be able to charge anyone for this service? It is really unfair to this poor country to be used and exploited like a flat chested woman....

  6. In other words... by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 4, Funny
    Satellites can calibrate their altimeters by bouncing signals off the ocean surface .. because of atmospheric interference, tides and waves, there are uncertainties.

    Ocean measurement have to be taken with a grain of salt, but these - oh wait.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  7. Tag by Hemogoblin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Only on Slashdot would a story about "calibration of equipment using saltflats" be tagged as ReallyFuckingCool. :D

  8. Re:Google Maps Link by TempeTerra · · Score: 4, Funny

    Salar de Uyuni is a vast plain of white salt in the mountains of Bolivia


    Hi res satellite image
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    .evom ton seod gis eht