NASA, alongside the French space agency CNES, has launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite which has created detailed maps of the ocean floor. This technological advancement, published recently, offers a clearer view of underwater features than previous satellites, using gravity-based data to detect structures like abyssal hills and underwater volcanoes. The implications are vast for safer submarine navigation and maintaining interconnected global telecommunication cables. As research continues with SWOT data, more insights into the ocean's hidden landscapes are anticipated.
NASA and the French space agency CNES launched the SWOT satellite in 2022, revealing the ocean floor with unprecedented clarity and filling data gaps from ship-based surveys.
The satellite maps aid in safely navigating submarines and maintaining global telecommunication cables, significantly impacting previously hazardous underwater terrains.
SWOT data utilizes gravity-based measurements to identify uncharted features of the ocean floor, including rolling abyssal hills and undersea volcanoes that evade older satellite technology.
Research using SWOT is ongoing, promising more discoveries in understanding the deep ocean and enhancing the clarity of satellite-generated seafloor maps.
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