Could A New Big Wave Come from Underwater Mountains?
Now, scientists in a NASA-backed project say they've found up to nearly 56,000 previously unmapped underwater mountains in the planet's oceans.
Mapping the ocean floor for numerous economic and environmental repercussions. Ships need to know if there are any hazards in their way. Cable-laying and mining operations have to know what's going on down there, too. Scientists are also interested in what kind of geological formations and marine ecosystems exist in the depths.
The Surface Water and Ocean Topography project, a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency Centre National d'Études Spatiales, used radar altimetry during a full year of satellite observations. The SWOT satellite covered about 90% of the planet every 21 days, and the seafloor map it created was published in Science in December 2024.
'The SWOT satellite was a huge jump in our ability to map the seafloor,' David Sandwell, a geophysicist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, told NASA.
How big of a jump was this research? The satellite measured small 'bumps' on the ocean's surface caused by the subtle gravitational pull of the large seamounts below, and researchers used that data to predict the location of the underwater masses. According to their pencils, the number of mapped seamounts skyrocketed from 44,000 to nearly 100,000. That's an estimated 56,000 previously hidden peaks, uncovered just like that.So, is the next Cortes Bank still out there? Could another mountain range intercept swells and cause a titanic wave to break on the ocean's surface? Unfortunately, it's too soon to tell. This data is preliminary, and the SWOT team is still calculating the depths of each feature the satellite pinpointed. This is part of an international effort to map the entire ocean bottom by 2030. Previous research could only detect seamounts over 3,300 feet (1 kilometer) in height. The SWOT team can find features half that height.
For reference, the Cortes range rises an estimated 4,000 feet from the ocean floor, and its tallest point (Bishop Rock) comes alarmingly close to the surface. It's also in a prime position to cop the brunt of massive long-period Pacific Ocean power. It's entirely possible the newly mapped seamounts don't come close enough to the surface to cause swells to break. While the scientists crunch the numbers, best keep your eyes peeled.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Netflix heads to space: NASA teams up for live content on NASA+
NASA announced that it will partner with Netflix to stream live programming through NASA+ starting this summer. The collaboration will allow audiences to stream rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks, mission coverage, and live views of Earth from the International Space Station. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< 'The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience,' said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agency's headquarters in Washington. 'Together, we're committed to a Golden Age of Innovation and Exploration – inspiring new generations, right from the comfort of their couch or in the palm of their hand from their phone.' Through this partnership, NASA aims to make its scientific work and exploration efforts more accessible. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] NASA+ will remain free and ad-free, accessible through the NASA app and the agency's website. Additional programming details and schedules will be announced ahead of the launch. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] To learn more about NASA's missions, click here.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX targeting rocket launch Tuesday morning on Starlink satellite mission at Cape Canaveral
In another post-midnight launch, SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 8, for an early morning Falcon 9 rocket liftoff from Florida's Space Coast, a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory indicates. This Starlink 10-28 mission will lift another payload of broadband satellites on a northeasterly trajectory into low-Earth orbit. The 4½-hour launch window extends from 1:48 a.m. to 6:18 a.m. SpaceX has yet to publicly announce information about this mission. The FAA lists the launch site as pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center — but if a recent pattern with those federal advisories holds, the Falcon 9 will instead lift of from nearby Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The National Weather Service forecast for Monday night-Tuesday morning calls for a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m., followed by a slight chance of showers until 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy skies should otherwise prevail, with a low near 75 and south wind 5 to 10 mph. Overall chance of precipitation: 30%. SpaceX's upcoming Falcon 9 mission will clock in as the 59th orbital rocket launch thus far during 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and KSC. Looking to the future, Space Force officials announced SpaceX was awarded $81.6 million to launch the USSF-178 mission during the first half of the 2027 fiscal year. This includes the Space Force's Space Systems Command's Weather System Follow-on-Microwave Space Vehicle 2 — or WSF-M2 — which will deliver improved global sensing for weather-prediction models. The mission also includes BLAZE-2, a collection of Department of Defense small satellites for operational, research, development and prototype purposes. For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX targeting 59th rocket launch of year from Florida's Space Coast
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
NASA IV&V in Fairmont faces drastic funding cut
Jul. 5—dbeard @ MORGANTOWN — NASA's Katherine Johnson Independent Verification & Validation Facility in Fairmont could see a drastic budget cut under President Trump's Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request. But members of West Virginia's Congressional delegation are working to prevent it As part of an overall proposed NASA budget cut, Johnson IV &V would see its funding fall from its current $43.3 million (from FY 2024) to $13.8 million in FY 2026 — just one third of the current budget. NASA is working on answers to questions from The Dominion Post about the ramifications of the cut and will provide those next week. In its 2026 Budget Technical Supplement, the agency says, "In FY 2026, NASA plans to significantly reduce and restructure both the NASA Engineering and Safety Center and Independent Verification and Validation program as part of the effort to consolidate the overall Agency Technical Authority program. In FY 2026, NASA will allocate $9.9 million for IV &V to ensure the program can provide software assurance support to the future Moon to Mars programs." The Dominion Post reached out to Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, and Rep. Riley Moore for comments on the proposal. Capito spokeswoman Kelley Moore (no relation) said Capito "is aware of the proposed cuts to NASA that would impact the mission and the facility at Katherine Johnson IV &V." She has been in contact with leadership at the facility, Goddard Space Flight Center, which oversees the work at IV &V, and NASA Headquarters. "It has also been conveyed to NASA and to the Senate Appropriations Committee that Sen. Capito will oppose any cuts to this facility that would impact workforce or its mission, " Moore said. Moore noted that since NASA does not have an administrator or a nominee at this time, there has not been a budget hearing where this topic could be raised. "Regardless, Sen. Capito is working hard to protect this facility that she so proudly helped name around this time in 2019." Justice did not respond to several requests for comment. Moore said, "I am closely tracking the proposed cuts to NASA's Fairmont facility. I have been in constant communication with the appropriations subcommittee chairman who oversees its funding, and will use my position on the Appropriations Committee to fight for the important work being done there." Here's a breakdown of the numbers that factor into IV &V's budget — with several layers of authority above IV &V. IV &V overall falls under NASA's Safety, Security and Mission Services. That budget was cut from $3.131 billion in FY 2024 to $3.092 billion in FY 2025 and will fall to $2.118 billion in FY 2026 the federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1). Under SS &MS, is Engineering Safety & Operations. Its budget will fall from $1.088 billion in FY 2024 to $620.3million in FY 2026 and $446.5 million in FY 2027. And under ES &O, the Agency Technical Authority funding will fall from $196.1 million in FY 2024 to $69.6 million in FY 2026. "The Agency Technical Authority program protects the health and safety of NASA's workforce by evaluating programs, projects, and operations to ensure safe and successful completion. ATA capabilities provide expert technical excellence, mission assurance, and technical authority agency wide." IV &V falls directly under the Agency Technical Authority, with funding from several accounts. Funding from the Safety, Security and Mission Services account will be cut from $39.2 million to $9.9 million — for software assurance support for Moon and Mars programs, as mentioned above. Funding from the Exploration account will go from $3.3 million to $2 million. Funding from the Space Operations account will go from $800, 000 to $700, 000. One account source will see an increase: Science account funding will go from $0 in FY 2024 to $1.2 million for FY 2026. A footnote hints at some flexibility: "The IV &V program will work with Mission Directorate to adjust FY 2026 allocations as the FY 2026 operating plan is developed." Some information provided to The Dominion Post noted that cuts to IV &V have been proposed in the past, but not to this extent.
