Tracking floods from space is possible: this satellite managed to capture a very rare tsunami

As satellites become more sophisticated, the possibilities of using them to identify threats and escape danger increases.

satellite, tsunami
The SWOT mission monitors all bodies of water

The international Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission achieved a historic milestone in September 2023 by capturing a very particular tsunami from space. This satellite, the result of a collaboration between NASA and the CNES (Centre National d'Études Spatiales) of France, recorded the event in the waters of a Greenland fjord after a massive rockfall that triggered the phenomenon.

The wave generated seismic noise so loud that, for nine days, it was captured by seismic measurement instruments around the world.

The event originated on September 16, 2023, when a mass of more than 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice fell into Dickson Fjord, a narrow channel surrounded by walls up to 1,830 meters high on the east coast of Greenland. Being confined in this closed space, the tsunami could not dissipate its energy as it would in the open sea, so it oscillated back and forth between its walls every 90 seconds, maintaining its strength and producing tremors that were detected thousands of miles away.

The next day, the SWOT satellite flew over the region and collected precise data on the impact of the tsunami on that lake. Thanks to its Ka Band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), a sophisticated instrument that measures the height of water masses from about 900 kilometers above sea level, SWOT was able to capture how the wave had accumulated on the north side of the fjord.

Observations showed that the water level in this area was up to 1.2 meters higher than on the southern side, revealing for the first time the “shape” of a tsunami wave in a remote region.

"SWOT was able to see the buildup of water in the fjord at a key moment, giving us insight into how such a wave forms and moves in such an isolated area," said Josh Willis, a NASA researcher and ocean level expert. Lee-Lueng Fu, another project scientist, added: "The resolution of the KaRIn radar surpassed the capabilities of traditional altimeters, which would not have been able to capture a phenomenon in such a narrow space."

In addition to offering an unprecedented view of a tsunami trapped in a fjord, this observation confirms the usefulness of SWOT in monitoring natural hazards. According to NASA scientist Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, this technology not only helps in research, but can also play a key role in preparing for natural disasters and mitigating risks.

A satellite for water

This satellite was launched in December 2022 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. With advanced technology, SWOT is now operational and continues to collect crucial information for climate research and water resources management.

American and French oceanographers and hydrologists and international partners have joined forces to develop this satellite mission to conduct the first global study of the Earth's surface waters, observe the fine details of the ocean's surface topography, and measure how Water masses change over time.

SWOT is revolutionizing the observation of global bodies of water, measuring the height of almost all water surfaces on Earth with unprecedented precision. Although it was designed to monitor rivers larger than 100 meters wide, the first results indicate that its capacity could be extended to smaller rivers, opening the possibility of tracking water dynamics in river areas previously unreachable by other satellites.

This capability greatly expands SWOT's potential in water resources research, enabling more detailed studies on freshwater availability and the impact of extreme events in basins around the world. Without a doubt, this mission promises to revolutionize the monitoring of water phenomena throughout the planet, transforming the way we observe and understand natural disasters from space.

Reference of the news

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/swot/international-swot-satellite-spots-planet-rumbling-greenland-tsunami/