JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A small metal system floating on the ocean’s surface plays a huge role in saving lives.
To ensure early detection of tsunamis and to acquire data critical to real-time forecasts, NOAA has placed Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) stations at sites in regions with a history of generating destructive tsunamis.
Recommended Videos
According to the NOAA website, these buoys can detect tsunamis as small as 1 centimeter, providing crucial data for early warning systems.
When deployed, a DART buoy floats on the ocean’s surface and is connected to a tsunameter on the ocean floor. This tsunameter transmits data to the buoy, relaying the information to a ground station using the Iridium satellite communication system.
This setup ensures that data is transmitted quickly and efficiently, allowing for timely responses to potential tsunami threats.
The second generation of DART buoys has introduced two-way communication capabilities. This advancement allows ground stations to access tsunami data anytime, enhancing the system’s responsiveness and reliability.
Currently, 74 DART buoy systems are deployed worldwide, with most located near the Pacific Ocean’s coasts. This extensive network plays a vital role in creating more accurate tsunami forecasts, which is essential for issuing watches, warnings, or evacuation orders.
According to their website, the closest DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis) buoy is 690 nautical miles east of Miami, Florida.
Click here to read more about NOAA’s DART buoy system.