Marie Eble, Jean Newman, Hugh Milburn, Frank González, Eddie Bernard,
Mark Ballerini, Mike Hamilton, and Carrie Hadden, PMEL

Goal

Acquire high-quality tsunami field measurements to improve numerical models
and increase the speed and accuracy of tsunami warnings.

Accomplishments
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART)

DART real-time system BPR data are transmitted by acoustic modem
to a surface buoy, then relayed to a ground station via satellite.
Two prototype deployments have been made. Some data dropouts
occurred but extended periods of excellent data return were posted
in real-time on the World Wide Web, proving the concept.

Bottom pressure recorders (BPRs)
developed by the Engineering
Development Division and the
Tsunami Project have been used for
over a decade to measure and record
tsunami amplitudes of less than 1 cm
in the deep ocean. This BPR
technology has been incorporated
into the DART reporting system
developed as part of the U.S. National
Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program.
Inundation Field Surveys

The Tsunami Project has participated in several post-tsunami field surveys, such as that
conducted after the 12 July 1993 Okushiri Island event. Ground surveys are frequently
limited by post-disaster conditions, and biased toward high runup values. Aerial
stereophotography, when available, can provide a more complete range of maximum
vertical and horizontal tsunami runup estimates on a regional scale.
Pacific-wide Monitoring

Six deep-ocean BPR stations are maintained by the Tsunami Project
and more than 150 coastal stations are currently maintained by
NOS and other Pacific nations. Several Pacific-wide tsunami datasets
have been collected. The 1996 Andreanov data are available on the
World Wide Web.
Future Directions

  • Design next generation of real-time systems to reduce data losses and improve reliability.
  • Establish a six-station Early Tsunami Detection and Real-Time Reporting Network.
  • Continue rapid data collection in response to future tsunami events.

Partial funding for this research was provided by NOAA/OAR and DOD/DARPA