NASA’s new AI-powered software can detect tsunamis by monitoring disturbances in satellite navigation signals.

Key points

• How it works: The GUARDIAN system tracks how tsunamis and earthquakes create pressure waves that distort GPS signals in the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere).
• Faster alerts: In a recent test case, the system identified a tsunami heading toward Hawaii 32 minutes before it reached the shore, significantly faster than traditional ocean-floor sensors.
• Cost-effective: Because it uses existing global satellite networks and ground stations, the system is a low-cost way to fill gaps in current warning infrastructure.
• Versatile detection: Beyond tsunamis, the AI can detect other major events that cause atmospheric disturbances, including volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts, and missile tests.

Current tsunami warning systems rely on expensive, sparse ocean-floor sensors that can leave dangerous gaps in coverage. By turning existing satellite data into a real-time detection tool, NASA’s technology could provide critical extra minutes for coastal communities to evacuate during a disaster.