NASA’s SWOT Reveals Hidden Ocean Floor in Unprecedented Global Map
NASA's SWOT satellite has produced a high-resolution, global map of the seafloor by measuring subtle sea-surface height variations, revealing features like abyssal hills and tectonic structures that were previously hidden from space. This breakthrough accelerates ocean science, improves models of ocean circulation and climate, and has implications for resource management, shipping, hazard detection, and national security. The effort aims to complete a comprehensive global seafloor map by 2030, blending space-based observations with traditional ship-based mapping.