A groundbreaking advancement in tsunami monitoring has emerged from a satellite’s detailed observations, setting the stage for improved prediction and warning systems. Launched in 2022 by NASA in collaboration with the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite was initially focused on monitoring global water movements through surface height variations. However, it recently played a pivotal role in observing a significant event.
On July 29, 2025, a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake rattled the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone off Russia’s southeastern coast, triggering a tsunami that surged across the Pacific Ocean. Remarkably, the SWOT satellite was positioned overhead during this occurrence, capturing crucial data.
Utilizing this satellite data alongside three buoys from the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) initiative, researchers uncovered a more intricate pattern of tsunami propagation and scattering than previously recognized. This finding challenges long-held beliefs about the behavior of large tsunamis, which were thought to be non-dispersive and maintain their integrity while traveling.
The new research indicates that the tsunami actually fragmented, producing a prominent leading wave followed by a sequence of smaller trailing waves.
“I think of SWOT data as a new pair of glasses,” remarked Angel Ruiz-Angulo, the study’s first author and a physical oceanographer at the University of Iceland. “Previously, with DART systems, we could only observe the tsunami at isolated points across the vast ocean. Although other satellites have existed, they offered limited views. With SWOT, we can now capture an extensive area of approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) wide, delivering exceptionally high-resolution data of the sea surface.”
This timely capability presents a significant opportunity to enhance real-time tsunami tracking in the future, providing critical warnings to coastal communities at risk of impact. The research findings were published in the journal The Seismic Record, opening the door for more advanced tsunami forecasting and response strategies that could ultimately save lives.