Tracking Tsunamis

Reported December 2009

BOULDER (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- We are coming up on the fifth anniversary of a horrific disaster that killed a quarter of a million people in a matter of minutes. It was this month, five years ago a tsunami raced toward the peaceful, panoramic tourist beaches in the Indian Ocean. There was no time for warning, but since then, scientists are making progress on a new type of tsunami detection system.

December 26th, 2004 -- the American Red Cross responded to a natural disaster in Indonesia.

"I went over to Thailand for the 2004 tsunami," Jim Rettew, chief communications officer at the American Red Cross's Mile High Chapter in Denver, Col., told Ivanhoe. "It was utter devastation. It's like a bomb went off."

Too late for rescue … only recovery -- a quarter-million Thais and tourists swallowed up by a series of giant waves. Tsunamis are generated by underwater earthquakes that travel as fast as a jet and often hit land without warning. But physicist Oleg Godin, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency in Boulder, Col., says his research shows there may be more time for warning.

"Tsunami takes time -- maybe even hours -- to propagate to a particular shore," Godin explained. "Sometimes many hours."

A 15-year-old video reveals a dark shadow on the ocean surface created by a tsunami below. And despite traveling underwater at up-to 600 miles per hour, it may be hours before the tsunami actually reaches shore. Radar aboard orbiting satellites can detect its "shadow."

"The stronger the shadow the stronger the tsunami," Godin said.

The shadow could be useful as a detection system showing where the tsunami is and how fast it is moving.

"In many cases lead time of just fifteen minutes may be enough to save everybody," Godin said.

Scientists say the next step in developing a tsunami detection system is to program satellites orbiting earth to watch ocean surfaces for the dark shadow.

Fortunately, tsunamis do not happen very often, but because they are so rare, research that depends on a real tsunami is slow to advance.

The American Geophysical Union, the American Meteorological Society, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology and the American Physical Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

Dr. Oleg A. Godin
Contact Person
Boulder, CO
(303) 497-6558
Oleg.Godin@noaa.gov

American Meteorological Society
Boston, MA 02108-3693
(617) 227-2425
http://www.ametsoc.org

Peter Weiss
American Geophysical Union
Washington, DC 20009-1277
(800) 966-2481
http://www.agu.org
pweiss@agu.org

Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology
John Taber
Education & Outreach Program Manager
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 682-2220
taber@iris.edu

James Riordon, Media Relations
American Physical Society
College Park, MD
(301) 209-3238
http://www.aps.org
Riordon@aps.org

Forget speeding … now cops have a new reason to pull you over! Cop cars equipped with new technology are helping the police track down people who owe the government cash!

A new device that keeps kids from being distracted when they’re driving. We’ll show you how it helps teens keep their eyes on the road

Cutting-edge technology gives us a glimpse inside a mummy and uncovering mysteries 2,000 years old

Your next vacation could be out of this world! We’ll show you the race for space tourism. A trip to the stars is closer than you think!

Bioengineering is giving people better, stronger hands. Science has found a simple diagnostic tool that could make a dramatic difference for thousands of people

Seventy thousand people suffer from sickle cell disease. Now, a new type of blood breakthrough may relieve patients of their pain and give them new hope for their future

Forty million people are discharged from the hospital each year. Now, new computer technology could send a nurse home with patients and clear up all their confusion

December marks the 5th anniversary of one of the worst tsunamis to ever hit. Now, something from space may help to predict the next disastrous wave and save thousand of lives

Whether it’s red or white, when it comes to judging wine, wine lovers may have more than just their own mouth to rely on … an electronic tongue is turning into an expert wine taster

Holly isn’t just a festive decoration … it could save your life! Fill you Christmas mugs with some healthy holiday drinks

This holiday season, stores are doing everything they can to lure you in. The science behind why you buy and don’t buy