Brazil Sends Expedition to Prove the Amazon is the Planet’s Longest River

Amazon river Which is the largest river in the world? Would it be the Nile, in Africa, or the Amazon, in Brazil? Seeking an answer, the scientific expedition "To the Riverhead of the Amazon" has left last Sunday to Peru, in order to measure the extension of the river.

During the ten days of the expedition, Brazilian researchers and documentary filmmakers will count on the support of Peruvian scientists.

The team wants to identify the true head of the Amazon River, the place where it actually starts to run. They are going to collect data of the main streams that originate the Amazon waters.

To accomplish the task, the team will have 4×4 vehicles, and in some areas it will have to travel by foot. The adventure will demand a bit more from the team: in order to go up the mountains, they will have to do mountain climbing or alpinism. They will be guided by Peruvians specialized on the Andes.

Paulo Roberto, a researcher at the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), considers the expedition to be important. "I believe it is important because we will get to know our planet better. In the case of the Amazon River, for instance, we know that the snowies (the snowy peaks of the Andes) indicate climate change."

The researcher claims that the work includes the development of a universal measurement method that allows for the use of new technologies, such as satellite images and geo-processing. This new method may be applied to any river in the planet.

The existing measurements adopt procedures that follow the river stream that has the highest rate of flow, and not the highest length. By that token, the Amazon River, according to data provided by the INPE, may reach over 6,800 meters of length.

After the expedition, the participants will meet Peruvian scientists in order to reach a consensus about the extension of the Amazon River.

ABr

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Gets Record Exports and Imports. But Trade Surplus Is Down

Brazil's balance of trade surplus (exports minus imports) stood at US$ 944 million on ...

Polls Show Brazil’s Lula Has no Chance of Being Reelected in Sí£o Paulo

If Paulistas (residents from São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous and wealthy state) could decide ...

After a Month of Rains Brazil’s Amazon Residents Are Isolated, in Need of Medicine

Brazil’s Ministry of Health sent seven tons of medicine to the state of Roraima ...

Brazil Betting Tight Credit Is Ending

Brazilian and Latin American markets moved higher on the day, regaining ground lost in ...

In Brazil, Industrial Output, Car Sales and Installment Payment on Time Are All Down

In São Paulo, Brazil, the number of people who have fallen behind in making ...

Brazil Goes to Israel and Syria Looking for Partners in Education

The Minister of Education of Brazil, Fernando Haddad, arrived in Israel this Wednesday, March ...

Brazilian Jiujitsu Fighter Terrorizes Passengers of Japan to US Flight

A Brazilian jiujitsu fighter  was arrested this Wednesday, September 13, during a cross country ...

Making a Difference

Sponsoring a youngster from a third-world country like Brazil promises to be an ongoing ...

Brazilian kids at play

Only a Revolution Will Take Brazil Out of the 19th Century

The Brazilian people are oscillating between disappointment and gratitude: disappointment over how long it ...

Despite Lower Dollar Brazilian Shoemaker Wants to Export More

Grendene, a shoe company from Brazil, has expanded the volume of its exports by ...