PhD candidate in the Applied Geosciences and Geodynamics Program (PPGGAG) at the University of Brasília (UnB). Holds a Master's degree in Environmental Technologies and Water Resources (PTARH) from UnB (2023) and a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Brasília (2020). Mainly working on the following topics: water resources and analysis and modeling of hydroclimatic time series.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Space and Planetary Science, Engineering, Multidisciplinary, Environmental Science
8
Scopus Publications
21
Scholar Citations
3
Scholar h-index
Scopus Publications
A Large-Scale Evaluation of SWOT-Derived Water Surface Elevations: Precision Drivers and Strategies to Enhance Data Availability Thiago Lappicy, Daniel Beltrão, Luana Oliveira Sales, Tati Almeida, Guilherme Gomes Pessoa, et al. Remote Sensing, 2026 High-quality water surface elevation (WSE) measurements are critical in hydrological applications, yet no systematic evaluation of the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission exists for Brazil’s diverse lake systems, where satellite observations are essential given limited in situ monitoring. We evaluated WSE from SWOT over 132 Brazilian lakes, comparing LakeSP, Raster_250m, and Raster_100m products against field measurements over a 20-month period. The 68th percentile errors were under 29 cm for the full dataset, below 12 cm for Flag = 0, and below 21 cm for Flag = 1, indicating good agreement but also the presence of outliers and the need for data screening. A Random Forest analysis identified quality flags, lake geometry, and cross-track distance as key drivers of WSE precision. Flag = 0 is overly restrictive, retaining only 22% of observations, while Flag = 1 contains anomalous data. The SWOT Quality-Range Threshold for Lakes (SQRTL) filter combines Flag = 0 with cross-track constrained Flag = 1 observations. SQRTL more than triples data availability relative to Flag = 0, maintaining comparable precision (68th percentile below 16 cm) and reducing median revisit from 88–123 days to 16–18 days for raster products and from 25 to 14 days for LakeSP. These results provide the first large-scale SWOT WSE evaluation over Brazilian lakes and a transferable filtering framework applicable wherever SWOT and field observations overlap, with potential to extend monitoring to over 100,000 water bodies in the SWOT Prior Lake Database.
SWOT Satellite Nodes as Virtual Stations During the 2024 Extreme Flood in Southern Brazil Luana Oliveira Sales, Thiago Lappicy, Daniel Beltrão, Alexandre de Amorim Teixeira, Rejane Cicerelli, et al. Hydrology, 2025 In 2024, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, faced the most severe flood event in its recorded history, which compromised several ground-based hydrological gauges. The SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite, capable of measuring water surface elevation (WSE) in continental waters, is a valuable tool for providing critical data. This study investigates whether node-level WSE data from the SWOT satellite can effectively function as virtual hydrological stations under such extreme conditions. The study was applied in all of RS state considering 100 in situ gauges and was subdivided into three sections: (i) an evaluation of the variation in SWOTʹs WSE data compared to the variation in in situ levels from telemetric gauges, considering subsequent cycles of passes between July 2023 and April 2025, yielding an MAE = 35 cm and an RMSE = 73 cm after outlier removal; (ii) an evaluation of the variation in SWOTʹs WSE data compared to the variation in telemetric level data, considering one window prior to and another during the extreme event, resulting an MAE = 26 cm and an RMSE = 34 cm; (iii) an analysis of SWOTʹs data availability during the extreme event, when in situ telemetric data were unavailable. The results demonstrate an agreement between the variation observed in SWOT data and that in telemetric gauges in RS, even during extreme events. Moreover, in the absence of in situ data, SWOT was still able to capture WSE data.
Mapping of wetlands in the Pantanal with SWOT Luana Sales, Daniel Beltrão, Thiago Lappicy, Larisse Jesus, Tati Almeida, et al. 2025 Latin American Grss and ISPRS Remote Sensing Conference Lagirs 2025 Proceedings, 2025
Enhancing monthly streamflow forecasting for Brazilian hydropower plants through climate index integration with stochastic methods Thiago Lappicy, Carlos H. R. Lima Revista Brasileira De Recursos Hidricos, 2023 This study demonstrates the potential for enhancing monthly streamflow forecasting in Brazil through the incorporation of climatic indices. It extends the conventional periodic autoregressive model (PAR) for streamflow forecasts by integrating climate information, represented by three key climate indices reflecting sea surface temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, as well as zonal wind patterns in southeastern Brazil. Using the Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE) skill metric, our findings reveal that the inclusion of climate data consistently outperforms existing PAR models in numerous scenarios. Notably, during May, the proposed model enhances forecasts for 79% of the reservoirs (124 out of 157), while in January, it reduces forecast variance for up to 90% of the reservoirs (141 out of 157).
A framework to evaluate and compare synthetic streamflow scenario generation models Felipe Treistman, Débora Dias Jardim Penna, Lucas de Souza Khenayfis, Nelson Bernardo Rodrigues Cavalcante, Francisco de Assis de Souza Filho, et al. Revista Brasileira De Recursos Hidricos, 2023 Synthetic streamflow scenario generation is particularly important in countries like Brazil, where hydroelectric power generation plays a key role and properly handling the uncertainty of future streamflow is crucial. This paper showcases a collaborative effort within the Brazilian electrical sector to enhance streamflow scenario models, focusing on horizons up to one year. Five institutions proposed diverse methodologies, and their effectiveness was evaluated using a comparative framework. The results reveal the strengths and areas for improvement in each model. GHCen emerged as the top performer, excelling in both short-term and moving average analyses, while the PARX model demonstrated superior performance in specific regions. The PAR(p)-A, which is the official methodology in Brazil, was the second-best model in the moving average analysis. This research offers valuable insights for countries facing similar hydrothermal scheduling and scenario generation challenges.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
A Large-Scale Evaluation of SWOT-Derived Water Surface Elevations: Precision Drivers and Strategies to Enhance Data Availability T Lappicy, D Beltrão, LO Sales, T Almeida, GG Pessoa, S Souza, ... Remote Sensing 18 (10), 1609 , 2026 2026
SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography): reviewing challenges and opportunities in hydrological applications to inland waters D Beltrão, RE Cicerelli, T Lappicy, LO Sales, ADA Teixeira, LS Da Cunha, ... IEEE Access , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
Mapping of wetlands in the Pantanal with SWOT L Sales, D Beltrão, T Lappicy, L Jesus, T Almeida, R Cicerelli 2025 Latin American GRSS & ISPRS Remote Sensing Conference (LAGIRS), 1-7 , 2025 2025
SWOT Satellite Nodes as Virtual Stations During the 2024 Extreme Flood in Southern Brazil LO Sales, T Lappicy, D Beltrão, A de Amorim Teixeira, R Cicerelli, ... Hydrology 12 (10), 248 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
How Forest and Public Policies Shape Sustainability in the Guiana Shield/Amazon T Lappicy, RGP da Silva, AIR Cabral, AK Pereira, AE Laques, ... The Palgrave Handbook of Practical Sustainability, 487-510 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Enhancing Brazil's Hydrology with the SWOT Mission: A Case Study of the 2024 South Brazil Flood A De Amorim Teixeira, T Lappicy, D Augusto Santos Prates Beltrão, ... AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024 (919), H31Y-0919 , 2024 2024
Gestão e governança em escala regional na Calha Norte do rio Amazonas, Brasil T Lappicy, RGP Silva, AIR Cabral, JS Arguelho, AK Pereira, IM Silva, ... Boletim Regional, Urbano e Ambienta (BRUA) 32, 129-140 , 2024 2024
LandScriptDeforestMap T Lappicy, CH Saito, RGP Silva, AIR Cabral, AE Laques, JS Arguelho, ... BR Patent BR512024004176-1 , 2024 2024
Remote Sensing of Trophic State Index using Landsat 8 images: a case study of Corumbá IV reservoir – Midwest Brazil D Beltrão, T Lappicy, T Almeida, RE Cicerelli XXI SELPER - Sociedad Latinoamericana em Percepción Remota y Sistemas de … , 2024 2024
A semi-empirical model using Landsat 8 images for estimating TSS in Paranoá Lake – Brasília, Brazil T Lappicy, D Beltrão, T Almeida, RE Cicerelli XXI SELPER - Sociedad Latinoamericana em Percepción Remota y Sistemas de … , 2024 2024
LandScriptDeforestMap: An R package to evaluate deforestation in remote sensing images T Lappicy, AIR Cabral, RGP Da Silva, JS Arguelho, SPB de Andrade, ... SoftwareX 27, 101799 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
A framework to evaluate and compare synthetic streamflow scenario generation models F Treistman, DDJ Penna, LS Khenayfis, NBR Cavalcante, FA Souza Filho, ... RBRH 28, e43 , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
Enhancing monthly streamflow forecasting for Brazilian hydropower plants through climate index integration with stochastic methods T Lappicy, CHR Lima RBRH 28, e48 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
ANÁLISE DO SISTEMA DE DRENAGEM DA ASA SUL/DF E DAS SOLUÇÕES PROPOSTAS PELO PROJETO ÁGUAS DO DF G Laterza, T Lappicy, S Koide XXV SBRH - Simpósio Brasileiro de Recursos Hídricos , 2023 2023
LID Control and Management of Stormwater in the Federal District of Brazil MB Bigonha, MEL Costa, DJ Carvalho, TLL Gomes, S Koide International Low Impact Development Conference 2023, 123-134 , 2023 2023
Use of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for optimizing an existing detention pond TLL Gomes, MEL Costa, S Koide Ciência e Natura 45, e11-e11 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Integração e aplicação de análises da paisagem em áreas protegidas na Amazônia R Gomes, S Andrade, T Gomes, M Thales, A I.R Cabral, H Pereira, ... Dinâmicas socioambientais no Brasil: atores, processos e políticas, 47-65 , 2023 2023
Relação entre saneamento básico e a taxa de mortalidade por COVID-19: um estudo de caso do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil T Lappicy, D Beltrão, M Bigonha Cadernos Técnicos Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental 3 (2), 105-114 , 2023 2023
USO DE MODELOS ESTOCÁSTICOS PARA PREVISÕES DE VAZÕES MENSAIS DOS RESERVATÓRIOS LIGADOS AO SIN UTILIZANDO O CONCEITO DE ENERGIA EQUIVALENTE T Lappicy, CHR Lima, JA Fiorucci XXIV SBRH - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS , 2021 2021 Citations: 2
PROPOSTAS DO USO DE LIDS NA BACIA DE DRENAGEM DO IATE CLUBE, BRASÍLIA-DF T Lappicy, MTC Cambraia, MEL Costa, L Andrade, S Koide XXIV SBRH - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS , 2021 2021
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Enhancing monthly streamflow forecasting for Brazilian hydropower plants through climate index integration with stochastic methods T Lappicy, CHR Lima RBRH 28, e48 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
SWOT Satellite Nodes as Virtual Stations During the 2024 Extreme Flood in Southern Brazil LO Sales, T Lappicy, D Beltrão, A de Amorim Teixeira, R Cicerelli, ... Hydrology 12 (10), 248 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
LandScriptDeforestMap: An R package to evaluate deforestation in remote sensing images T Lappicy, AIR Cabral, RGP Da Silva, JS Arguelho, SPB de Andrade, ... SoftwareX 27, 101799 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
A framework to evaluate and compare synthetic streamflow scenario generation models F Treistman, DDJ Penna, LS Khenayfis, NBR Cavalcante, FA Souza Filho, ... RBRH 28, e43 , 2023 2023 Citations: 3
SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography): reviewing challenges and opportunities in hydrological applications to inland waters D Beltrão, RE Cicerelli, T Lappicy, LO Sales, ADA Teixeira, LS Da Cunha, ... IEEE Access , 2026 2026 Citations: 2
USO DE MODELOS ESTOCÁSTICOS PARA PREVISÕES DE VAZÕES MENSAIS DOS RESERVATÓRIOS LIGADOS AO SIN UTILIZANDO O CONCEITO DE ENERGIA EQUIVALENTE T Lappicy, CHR Lima, JA Fiorucci XXIV SBRH - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS , 2021 2021 Citations: 2
How Forest and Public Policies Shape Sustainability in the Guiana Shield/Amazon T Lappicy, RGP da Silva, AIR Cabral, AK Pereira, AE Laques, ... The Palgrave Handbook of Practical Sustainability, 487-510 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Use of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for optimizing an existing detention pond TLL Gomes, MEL Costa, S Koide Ciência e Natura 45, e11-e11 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
A Large-Scale Evaluation of SWOT-Derived Water Surface Elevations: Precision Drivers and Strategies to Enhance Data Availability T Lappicy, D Beltrão, LO Sales, T Almeida, GG Pessoa, S Souza, ... Remote Sensing 18 (10), 1609 , 2026 2026
Mapping of wetlands in the Pantanal with SWOT L Sales, D Beltrão, T Lappicy, L Jesus, T Almeida, R Cicerelli 2025 Latin American GRSS & ISPRS Remote Sensing Conference (LAGIRS), 1-7 , 2025 2025
Enhancing Brazil's Hydrology with the SWOT Mission: A Case Study of the 2024 South Brazil Flood A De Amorim Teixeira, T Lappicy, D Augusto Santos Prates Beltrão, ... AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2024 (919), H31Y-0919 , 2024 2024
Gestão e governança em escala regional na Calha Norte do rio Amazonas, Brasil T Lappicy, RGP Silva, AIR Cabral, JS Arguelho, AK Pereira, IM Silva, ... Boletim Regional, Urbano e Ambienta (BRUA) 32, 129-140 , 2024 2024
LandScriptDeforestMap T Lappicy, CH Saito, RGP Silva, AIR Cabral, AE Laques, JS Arguelho, ... BR Patent BR512024004176-1 , 2024 2024
Remote Sensing of Trophic State Index using Landsat 8 images: a case study of Corumbá IV reservoir – Midwest Brazil D Beltrão, T Lappicy, T Almeida, RE Cicerelli XXI SELPER - Sociedad Latinoamericana em Percepción Remota y Sistemas de … , 2024 2024
A semi-empirical model using Landsat 8 images for estimating TSS in Paranoá Lake – Brasília, Brazil T Lappicy, D Beltrão, T Almeida, RE Cicerelli XXI SELPER - Sociedad Latinoamericana em Percepción Remota y Sistemas de … , 2024 2024
ANÁLISE DO SISTEMA DE DRENAGEM DA ASA SUL/DF E DAS SOLUÇÕES PROPOSTAS PELO PROJETO ÁGUAS DO DF G Laterza, T Lappicy, S Koide XXV SBRH - Simpósio Brasileiro de Recursos Hídricos , 2023 2023
LID Control and Management of Stormwater in the Federal District of Brazil MB Bigonha, MEL Costa, DJ Carvalho, TLL Gomes, S Koide International Low Impact Development Conference 2023, 123-134 , 2023 2023
Integração e aplicação de análises da paisagem em áreas protegidas na Amazônia R Gomes, S Andrade, T Gomes, M Thales, A I.R Cabral, H Pereira, ... Dinâmicas socioambientais no Brasil: atores, processos e políticas, 47-65 , 2023 2023
Relação entre saneamento básico e a taxa de mortalidade por COVID-19: um estudo de caso do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil T Lappicy, D Beltrão, M Bigonha Cadernos Técnicos Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental 3 (2), 105-114 , 2023 2023
PROPOSTAS DO USO DE LIDS NA BACIA DE DRENAGEM DO IATE CLUBE, BRASÍLIA-DF T Lappicy, MTC Cambraia, MEL Costa, L Andrade, S Koide XXIV SBRH - SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE RECURSOS HÍDRICOS , 2021 2021
