An unprecedented nine-day tsunami following a big rockslide in Greenland’s Dickson Fjord was just lately recorded by the worldwide Floor Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite tv for pc, a collaborative mission by NASA and France’s Centre Nationwide d’Études Spatiales (CNES). The occasion, which passed off in September 2023, noticed a singular sample of seismic waves resonate all over the world, marking one of many uncommon situations the place satellite tv for pc information captured a protracted pure phenomenon with such readability.

Satellite tv for pc’s Breakthrough Detection in Distant Fjord

As per a report by NASA, the rockslide unleashed over 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice into the fjord, displacing the water and creating an enormous wave that moved rhythmically between the fjord partitions each 90 seconds for 9 consecutive days. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Josh Willis highlighted this as a primary, saying, “SWOT’s expertise allowed us to see the wave contours, one thing we could not obtain earlier than.” The water ranges on the northern facet of Dickson Fjord rose as excessive as 1.2 metres in distinction to the southern facet, emphasising the highly effective impression of the rockslide.

Superior Know-how for International Hazard Monitoring

At an altitude of round 900 kilometres, SWOT utilises a Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn) to measure floor water top with precision. This expertise captured the occasion’s results within the confined fjord setting, which standard altimeters couldn’t do resulting from their bigger footprint. Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, a scientist at NASA Headquarters, famous that this functionality highlights SWOT’s potential for monitoring hazards, contributing to preparedness and catastrophe threat discount.

Modern Partnership in Satellite tv for pc Analysis

Since its launch in December 2022, SWOT has been instrumental in mapping international water ranges. Developed with contributions from the Canadian and UK house companies, NASA leads the mission’s U.S. operations, together with the KaRIn instrument, with CNES managing varied onboard programs and assist. The info collected guarantees ongoing contributions to scientific understanding of Earth’s water dynamics.