Data from: Passive microwave observations of inundation area and the area/stage relation in the Amazon River floodplain

Inundation patterns in Amazon River floodplains are revealed by analysis of the 37 GHz polarization difference observed by the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer on the Nimbus-7 satellite. Flooded area is estimated at monthly intervals for January 1979 through August 1987 using mixing models that account for the major landscape units with distinctive microwave emission characteristics. Results are presented separately for 12 longitudinal reaches along the Amazon River main stem in Brazil as well as for three major tributaries (the Jurua, Purus and Madeira rivers). The total area along the Amazon River main stem that was flooded (including both floodplain and open water) varied between 19000 and 91 000km2. The correlation between flooded area and river stage is used to develop a predictive relationship and reconstruct regional inundation patterns in the floodplain of the Amazon River main stem over the past 94 years of stage records (1903-1996). The mean flooded area along the Amazon River during this 94-year period was 46800km2, of which the openwater surfaces of river channels and floodplain lakes comprised about 20 700km2.Amazon area-floodplain plus open waterSMMR (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer) and river stage data were used to estimate the area flooded along the Amazon River and its tributaries at monthly intervals. This file gives the monthly estimated floodplain area in square kilometers. The open water area is given separately in another attached file. See Figure 1 to define the river "reaches" (1-12) used to separate the data.Amazon area-open waterSMMR (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer) and river stage data were used to estimate the area flooded along the Amazon River and its tributaries at monthly intervals. This file gives the monthly estimated open water area in square kilometers; this open water area is included in Amazon area-floodplain plus open water.csv. See Figure 1 to define the river "reaches" (1-12) used to separate the data.Amazon tributary area- floodplain plus open waterSMMR (Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer) and river stage data were used to estimate the area flooded along 3 major Amazon River tributaries (Jurua, Purus and Madeiras) at monthly intervals. This file gives the monthly estimated floodplain and open water area in square kilometers. See Figure 1 to define the river "reaches" (1-12) used to separate the data.Amazon River stage dataMonthly Amazon River stage height (in meters) for 5 locations.Amazon tributary stage dataMonthly river stage heights (in meters) for 3 major Amazon River tributaries: Jurua, Purus and Madeira