Satellite observations offer tsunami formation insightReutersObservations made by a satellite operated by the US and French space agencies shortly after a strong earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula last year are giving scientists a better understanding of how tsunamis originate and propagate. The NASA-CNES Surface Water and Ocean Topography, or SWOT, satellite made its observations within 70 minutes of the start of the earthquake. This allows scientists to see the shape, direction and spacing of tsunami waves in much greater detail. The Kamchatka tsunami did not cause significant loss of life, but others have caused huge death tolls such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed about 230,000 people. “This opens a new window to understand in a better way what happens with earthquakes and tsunamis near the trench,” Sepulveda said, referring to SWOT observations.
