The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars.
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient. Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet.
It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren’t passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems.
#nasa #technology #oceanfloor #science #space
The ocean covers 71% of Earth, yet we’ve mapped less of it than the surface of Mars.
That’s where the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite comes in — a mission created by NASA and CNES.
Instead of scanning the seafloor directly, SWOT detects tiny bulges in the ocean surface caused by gravity.
Here’s how it works:
Underwater mountains and ridges contain more mass, creating slightly stronger gravitational pull.
That pull forms small bumps on the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT measures those bumps with centimeter-level precision while scanning 90% of the planet every 21 days.
The impact is massive.
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Media: @nasa
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The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars.
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient.
Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet.
It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren’t passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems.
NASA’s SWOT satellite can map the ocean floor from space by detecting tiny changes in sea surface height caused by underwater features.
This helps reveal hidden seamounts and abyssal hills, potentially doubling the number of known underwater mountains and improving our understanding of Earth’s oceans.
#tech #howthingswork #science
The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars. 🌐 🔭
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient. Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet.
It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren't passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems.
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Media: nasa
#technology #nasa #oceanfloor #science #space
The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars. 🌐 🔭 The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient. Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them. SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet. It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren't passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems. Love Technology? Follow @Wealth 🌟 Media: @nasa #technology #nasa #oceanfloor #science #space
Watching Sea Level Rise Through a Porthole
This visualization from the NASA NASA Scientific Visualization Studio shows how global sea level has changed between 1993 and 2025 using a simple but powerful visual metaphor looking at the ocean through a circular porthole.
The animation is based on satellite altimeter measurements from missions such as TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason‑1, Jason‑2, Jason‑3, and Sentinel‑6 Michael Freilich. These satellites continuously track the height of the ocean surface to measure global mean sea level trends.
As the planet warms and polar ice melts, the ocean expands and sea levels rise. This visualization highlights how scientists monitor these changes over time using long-term satellite observations.
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All rights remain with their respective copyright holders. No ownership is claimed.
🎥 Video Footage Source: NASA
Link: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5620/
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sea level rise, global mean sea level, NASA ocean data, satellite altimetry, ocean monitoring, NASA visualization, climate indicators, sea level change, ocean science
#SeaLevelRise #NASAEarth #OceanScience #ClimateChange
The ocean covers 71% of Earth, and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars.
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient. Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet.
It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren't passive; they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems.
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Media: @nasa
#technology #nasa #oceanfloor #science #space
The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars. 🌐 🔭 The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient. Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them. SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process. Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet. It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000. These mountains aren't passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems. Love Technology? Follow @learn.tech.official 🌟 Media: nasa #technology #nasa #oceanfloor #science #space
We’ve mapped more of Mars than our own ocean…
The ocean covers about 71% of Earth, yet much of the seafloor has remained largely unknown. Now, the SWOT satellite is changing that.
By measuring tiny bulges in the ocean’s surface caused by gravitational differences, SWOT can detect underwater features like seamounts and ridges with centimeter-level precision.
Previous satellites could only spot the largest formations, but SWOT is revealing much smaller ones — potentially doubling the number of known underwater mountains.
These hidden structures play a major role in ocean ecosystems, shaping currents and concentrating nutrients that support marine life.
#Ocean #NASA #Science #Technology #Earth
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, is revealing hidden structures beneath the ocean without ever touching the seafloor. Instead of using traditional sonar, it detects tiny changes in Earth’s gravity field. Massive underwater features like seamounts and ridges contain more mass than the surrounding seabed, which creates a slightly stronger gravitational pull. This pull subtly raises the ocean surface above them, forming tiny bulges that are almost impossible to see but can be measured from space. By mapping these small variations, scientists can identify underwater mountains, valleys, and ridges across vast areas of the ocean 🌍 This technique allows researchers to explore parts of the seafloor that have never been directly mapped before. It is changing how we understand the hidden landscape beneath the oceans and could help improve navigation, climate research, and geological studies. The idea that satellites can detect mountains under the ocean just by measuring gravity shows how advanced modern science has become. The question is what else are we able to detect from space that we cannot even see 🤯
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Source: @nasa
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The ocean covers 71% of Earth and we have mapped less of it than the surface of Mars.
The SWOT satellite, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency CNES, detects this through vertical gravity gradient.
Seamounts and underwater ridges carry more mass than the surrounding seafloor, which exerts a slightly stronger gravitational pull and creates tiny, measurable bulges in the sea surface directly above them.
SWOT reads those bulges with centimeter-level accuracy, covering 90% of the globe every 21 days. The scale of what that reveals is hard to process.
Previous satellites could only detect seamounts taller than 3,300 feet. It detects mountains less than half that height, which could push the total number of known underwater seamounts from 44,000 to over 100,000.
These mountains aren't passive, they disrupt deep-sea currents and concentrate nutrients, creating entire ecosystems.
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Media: @nasa
#technology #nasa #oceanfloor #science #space