Tsunami
5
Sensor
System
Development
Team
Vision:
To
design sensor networks to detect earthquakes and tsunamis.
Earthquake
sensors should collect data to allow the determination of whether the
earthquake will cause a tsunami(s) and determine which areas are at
immediate
risk.
Tsunami
sensors should determine the size, track, and rate of travel of a
tsunami(s),
also helping to determine which areas are at immediate risk.
How
Team 5 is Fulfilling its Vision:
Sensor Technology (current):
The sensor being used will be a bottom pressure recording-buoy system
and is based upon the DART system. The system consists of a
Bottom Pressure Recorder, a buoy, and a satellite. It utilizes
quartz crystal resonators to measure bottom pressure.
Further
discussion of sensor technology can be found under Sub-Category ii.
Location of Sensors:
The location of sensors in both the South American and Micronesia areas
can be determined by examining the two causes of tsunamis, earthquakes
and landslides, and their potential of occurance. Monitoring the
fault lines in each area allows for the most rapid detection of
earthquakes and tsuanmis, allowing for increased warning time.
Therefore, the location of the sensors will be highly dependent on the
location of fault lines.
Further
discussion of sensor location determination can be found under
Sub-Categories i and vi.
Deployment of Sensors:
Sensor
deployment methods are dependent upon the conditions of the water, the
delicacy of the instruments on the buoy, and the size. Boats or
heavy-lift helicopters may aid in the process, dependent upon the size
of the sensor. In the case of the DART system, which is similar
to what we will be utilizing, the buoys are large and contain sensitive
equipment. Boats with cranes are used to deploy these
sensors.
Further
discussion of variables and associated algorithms can be found under
Sub-Category iii.
Collected Variables:
Although
some specific variables (such as water displacement, water depth, and
bottom pressure) are vital to developing models of tsunamis for future
predictions, in a real-time scenario in which a tsunami is headed for
land, the sensor simply needs to be able to determine:
1) If a tsunami is occuring
2) The magnitude of the wave
If this information can be collected, a
warning system can then inform the public of the endangered area of the
impending danger.
Further
discussion of variables and associated algorithms can be found under
Sub-Category iv.
Communications
Between/From Sensors:
Discussion
of communications between and from sensors can be found under
Sub-Category v.
Sensor
Technology (theoretical):
Several improvments
could be made to existing sensors to improve the warning systems.
If the system could determine the exact magnitude of the wave at the
buoy and determine the approximate magnitude of the wave when it
reaches the shore, warnings could become more event-specific; areas
will know in advance how severe the tsunami will be.
Further
discussion of sensor techology and abilities can be found under
Sub-Categories ii and iv.
Sub-Categories
of Research:
i) Tsunami
Formation and Location
-
Alan Foreman
ii) Tsunami
Detection Systems
-
Gabriel Torres
iii) Sensor
Deployment Methods
- Kristin
Uhmeyer
iv) The
Importance of Algorithmic Understanding Concerning Tsunamis
- Christopher
Whitfield
v)
Intersensor
and Intrasensor Communication
- Nasly Jimenez
