The strong earthquake of 8.8 degrees richter in the Kuril- Kamchatka region (Russia) on July 29, 2025 triggered a song that covered the entire Pacific Ocean, providing a rare opportunity to observe nature.
NASA's SWOT satellite and French Space Agency CNES took for the first time a high-resolution image of a giant sunflower in a vast ocean.
Instead of a neat wave top, the satellite image shows a complex intertwined energy model stretching hundreds of kilometers. This is a detail that traditional devices rarely record and shows that current Tsunami forecast models, which consider large waves crossing the ocean to be undispersed, need to be reviewed.
Before SWOT, the DART buoy system was the best open ocean observation tool. They are extremely sensitive but scattered, providing data at only one point.
The SWOT satellite can scan a 120km wide sea strip, allowing scientists to see the shape of the Tsunami changing over time and space.
Datals from SWOT are like a pair of new glasses that help us observe the whole scene of a natural phenomenon, rather than just looking at each individual point, Angel Ruiz-Angulo, lead author of the study, shared.
Before the earthquake, the research team only analyzed SWOT data on small water whirlpools. They did not expect the satellite to accidentally record a giant Tsunami.
This data also challenges the theory that large waves do not travel as an non-dispersed package but are transported and deformed by energy as they move. When running a digital model that takes into account scatter, the results match with satellite data better.
This is important because the dispersed energy can affect how the main wave and the following waves impact the shore.
Ruiz-Angulo notes that current models ignore this "over-the-counter" energy, which could distort forecasts about the time and power of natural disasters when they make landfall.
Combining SWOT data with DART buoy and seismic data, scientists discovered a ground fracture about 400km long, much larger than the original estimate of 300km. This information helps refine Tsunami forecasts and improve the accuracy of early warnings.
The Kuril- Kamchatka region has a history of creating ocean sunscreens, and previous events have prompted the building of an Pacific warning system.
SWOT offers a new type of evidence: Direct observation of the structure of the mid-ocean waves from space, helping to improve real-time forecasting models.
Researchers emphasized three key points: Satellite data shows the internal structure of sunsones; scattered energy that can change the force acting on land; and the combination of satellites, DART buoys, earthquakes and terrain monitoring helps to honestly recreate the origin of the song.
While sunsones are always a challenge for forecasters, SWOT data opens up opportunities to improve models and enhance early warning capabilities. Waves are never simple, but thanks to new technology, the forecast will be more accurate.
