More than a year after exploring the deltas of the Red and Mekong rivers, as well as the Saigon-Dong Nai river system, PLUME is entering its most decisive phase.
Teams of physicists, chemists and biologists are now processing more than 2 tonnes of samples and 100+ GB of data collected during the rainy season, when land-sea interactions are strongest.
This work is feeding into several Masters and PhD projects, and the first scientific results will start to appear this year, with publications continuing over the next 4 to 5 years. This is the true rhythm of a campaign: long after the spacecraft has returned, the science continues in the laboratory.
These results will not only deepen our understanding of the Vietnamese environment, but will also strengthen global knowledge of how rivers, coasts and human pressures interact in a rapidly changing world.
Photo credit: Plume Vietnam