NASA’s SWOT Satellite Reveals Big Impact of Small Ocean Currents and Waves on Ocean

NASA’s SWOT satellite sheds light on powerful role of small ocean currents and waves

“Vertical currents can bring heat from deep layers to the surface, warming the atmosphere,” said oceanographer Matthew Archer.

NASA’s SWOT Satellite Unveils Powerful Influence of Small Ocean Currents on Climate and Ecosystems

May 18, 2025 — In a groundbreaking discovery, NASA’s SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite has revealed how small-scale ocean currents and waves—once too subtle to detect—play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate, distributing heat, and sustaining marine ecosystems. The high-resolution data, gathered through a collaboration with the French space agency CNES, provides an unprecedented view of vertical ocean circulation that …

NASA’s SWOT Satellite Reveals Big Impact of Small Ocean Currents and Waves on Ocean

NASA’s SWOT satellite, in collaboration with CNES, reveals how submesoscale ocean features just a mile wide drive vital vertical circulation. These small currents transport heat, carbon, and nutrients, profoundly influencing marine ecosystems and climate systems. The mission’s high-resolution data is reshaping how scientists model ocean-atmosphere interactions and understand Earth’s changing environment.