Tsunami Early Warning System

Baxter Technologies
2005 Baxter Technologies. Confidential Presentation not for third party dissemination

Tsunami
A sea wave of local or distant origin that results from large-scale seafloor displacements associated with large earthquakes, major submarine slides, or exploding volcanic islands.

Regular Wind Generated Wave

Speed: 10-20 mph

10 Feet

300 Feet

Tsunami in Deep Ocean

Speed: 450-650 mph

1-2 Feet 316,800 Feet

Tsunami Approaching Shore

Speed: 35-220 mph

10-100+ Feet

5,000 10,000 Feet

Tsunami Cycle
Underlying Geological Event Water Displaced

Tidal Surge

Detection Opportunities
Wave Propagation Tidal Withdraw

Detection
Phase Phase 1 1 Phase Phase 2 2 Phase Phase 3 3

Geologic Activity

Wave Activity

Coastline Activity

Current State of the Art

Satellite

Surface Buoy

Hydrophone Acoustic Link 5,000 M Tsunami Detector Anchor

Gonzalez, F.I. (1999): Tsunami!. Scientific American, 280(5), 56-65

Advantages & Drawbacks

Advantages
Deep water pressure produces relatively low false-positives as winddriven waves do not generate deep pressure differentials Multiple sensors can triangulate epicenter of water displacement and wave propagation can be predicted. Good advance warning

Drawbacks
Expensive equipment High maintenance Requires multiple communication links:
Sonar Satellite uplink Satellite downlink Last-mile notification to authorities Authorities must notify coastal dwellers

Genesis Tsunami Coastal Alert

Deep sea pressure Seismic Events

Coastal Alarm & Detection

Surface anomalies

Leading Trough
The receding sea that precedes a tsunami Near-shore subsidence facilitate tsunami penetration inland Theoretical predictions* and field surveys indicate that coastal run-up and inundation will be greater if the trough of the leading wave precedes the crest

* Raissa Mazova of the Nizhny Novgorod

State Technical University in Russia and by Costas Synolakis of the University of Southern California

Genesis Tsunami Coastal Alert

Anchor line under constant spring tension at buoy

Tsunami trough threshold level

Receding sea trigger

Anchor

Genesis Tsunami Coastal Alert

Flares ignited to signal coastal communities Satellite, RF, audible alarms execute responsive to contact with trigger

Tsunami trough (receding sea) Tsunami trough threshold level

Tension in anchor line pulls buoy into contact with trigger

Anchor

Genesis Tsunami Coastal Alert

Buoy measures tsunami crest broadcasts satellite data for emergency response in other areas.

Advantages to Coastal Alert

Direct warning system in third world and emerging industrial countries
Flares Audible siren Local RF broadcast on emergency marine VHF channels and terrestrial radio Can be activated in advance by RF or satellite transmission if deep sea sensors forecast tsunami hit in the area No expensive off-shore installation and maintenance Multi-use design can be used for navigation, temperature readings, etc.

Low Cost Design

Ideal supplement to sophisticated deep sea monitoring

Genesis Tsunami Offshore Alert

Responsive to seismic event GTOA releases non-buoyant pressure sensors at multiple depths below normal wave action.

Genesis Tsunami Offshore Alert

Detachable pressure sensors Pressure changes below predetermined depth are indicators of tsunami activity.

NOAAs DART system uses pressure sensors that are permanently mounted to seabed. Prone to failure.

Genesis Tsunami Offshore Alert

Pressure changes below predetermined depth are indicators of tsunami activity.

Detachable pressure sensors

Pressure Wave

Seismic event detected Genesis Offshore buoys drop pressure sensors to multiple depths.

Genesis Tsunami Offshore Alert

Satellite

Detachable pressure sensors Pressure changes below predetermined depth are indicators of tsunami activity.

Pressure readings are relayed to monitoring station. Multiple readings provide more accurate analysis of deep pressure readings.

Genesis Drop Sensor

Telemetry and support line. Pressure transducer supplied by Paroscientific, Inc. Quartz crystal detection of flex of Bourdon tube.

Sensor is maintained above waterline before release. No fouling or damage from deep sea mounting. Lead weight is adjusted so that rate of decent is controlled so that multiple sensors reach their operating depth in synchronization.

Genesis Tsunami Offshore Alert

No permanent seabed pressure sensor Pressure readings at multiple depths Pressure transducer equipment kept out of hostile environment until deployed Redundancy if a sensor fails Lower false positives No ROV needed for maintenance or deployment

Genesis Tsunami System

Costal detection and notification Offshore monitoring and early warning Integrated systems provide prediction, notification and warning in a single package. Low costs for deployment and maintenance Superior data capture and uptime

The End
Baxter Technologies