Global distribution and amplitudes of internal solitary waves revealed by SWOT.

Internal solitary waves (ISWs) are powerful underwater disturbances that can vertically displace water by more than 200 meters, driving ocean mixing and affecting offshore engineering. Yet, their global distributions and vertical imprints remain poorly characterized. Traditional satellite sensors are constrained by cloud cover or limited sampling. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission provides near-continuous, cloud-independent ocean observations at unprecedented resolution. Here, we develop an artificial intelligence framework to automatically detect ISWs worldwide. Using 29 SWOT orbital cycles (July 2023 to March 2025), this study reveals a global map of ISW distribution and amplitude variations, identifying energetic hot spots and distinct seasonal and tidal variations. These findings provide insights into ISW dynamics and offer a foundation for assessing their role in global energy redistribution and ocean-climate interactions.