Tsunami 6: Warning System
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Assignment:

Our assigned task is to design a system for warning the populace of the immediate danger posed by a propagating tsunami. The system must be tailored to function in both Peru and Micronesia, in urban and rural areas, and industrialized and non-industrialized regions. We developed the following criteria by which to judge our system:

Guidelines for a "Good" Warning System

  • Quick warning - The system must be able to relay the message to everyone in danger as quickly as possible. There can be less than 30 minutes between the time of detection and the arrival of the tsunami, so the warning must be distributed in substantially less time. Sending out a warning must be an automatic procedure whenever there is danger from a tsunami; it should not be at the discretion of elected officials or bureaucrats.
  • Redundancy and reliability - Every area of the coast must have multiple ways of receiving the warning so that failure of one method will not leave anyone unwarned. All parts of the system should be reliable and durable to prevent failure.
  • Clarity - The system must clearly convey what actions need to be taken. Giving clear instructions about which areas are in danger and which are safe is crucial to avoid confusion and save lives.
  • Continuous communication - The system should be able to provide the people with updates on new developments, such as when returning to the evacuated areas will be safe.

Table of Contents

System Components
- information about each warning device that was considered for inclusion in the warning system, and an explanation as to why the devices chosen were selected
Warning Message
- information regarding what the actual text of the warning message will say, how it will be formed, and what terminology it will reference
Integration
- details on how the separate components are combined to from a cohesive warning system, and how the warning system works when activated

Team Members:

  • Susannah Brown
  • Fiona Hughes
  • Amelia Servi
  • Tharian Cherian
  • UTF: Erica Erickson


Questions? Comments? Contact Tsunami 6.