One of the most powerful and destructive forces in nature may now be easier to detect due to the advancement of tsunami early-warning technology by university researchers.
In a recent publication in the scientific journal of Physics of Fluids, researchers detailed how members used underwater microphones to measure sound waves produced by earthquakes and develop early warning technology.
According to NOAA, tsunami waves can be triggered by changes in terrain and reach 100 feet high. Due to the power of the fast-moving water, they can be destructive for coastal communities and carry debris out to sea.
WHAT IS A TSUNAMI AND WHAT CAUSES THEM?
Buoys and other observation devices are used to detect and observe these giant waves as they move across the ocean, but sometimes their discovery can be imprecise, leading to inaccurate and delayed warnings.
Earthquakes are known to produce sound radiation, which travels faster than the tectonic event and associated tsunami waves.
Researchers said the introduction of underwater microphones and the use of artificial intelligence helped them triangulate the magnitude and power of the underwater current quicker than current detection methods.
“Acoustic radiation travels through the water column much faster than tsunami waves. It carries information about the originating source, and its pressure field can be recorded at distant locations, even thousands of kilometers away from the source. The derivation of analytical solutions for the pressure field is a key factor in the real-time analysis,” Usama Kadri, a co-author of the publication, said in a statement.
Work being completed at the University of California and Cardiff University in the United Kingdom is part of a larger project that experts hope will enhance hazard warning systems.