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NASA's GUARDIAN Detected Kamchatka Tsunami in Near Real Time

Using GNSS signal distortions, the experimental tool augments sparse deep-ocean sensors for earlier tsunami insight.

Overview

  • During the late-July magnitude 8.8 Kamchatka earthquake and tsunami, GUARDIAN flagged upper-atmosphere signals and notified experts in roughly 20 minutes, confirming the advancing waves 30 to 40 minutes before they reached parts of the Pacific including Hawaii.
  • The event was an early real-world trial that followed the deployment of a new AI signal-miner and a prototype messaging system just one day prior.
  • The software can produce a near-real-time snapshot about 10 minutes after receiving data by scanning feeds from more than 350 GNSS ground stations supported by NASA networks.
  • Under favorable conditions it can detect evidence up to about 1,200 kilometers from a station, potentially providing as much as 1 hour 20 minutes of evacuation lead time for nearby communities.
  • Officials stress the system remains experimental, requires expert interpretation, and complements deep-ocean pressure sensors, with NOAA and UN early‑warning leaders citing its promise after the minimally damaging event.