Seismographs and buoys in the sea are the only tools that currently allow the population to alert several minutes before the imminent arrival of a tsunami (in the best case, the population has less than a time to get to safety). When seismographs recorded an undersea earthquake of magnitude greater than 6.5 on the Richter scale, there is a risk of occurrence of a tsunami.
Automatically triggers an alert if he is not certain that it will reach the coast. However, in a few years of space technology could significantly improve the prediction of these devastating tidal waves that have caused a major catastrophe in Japan. A project of the European Space Agency (ESA) signed by the Spanish engineer Manuel Martín-Neira uses technology from satellites observing the Earth to measure the height of the ocean surface.
Potential applications are numerous but probably the most significant will be able to detect tsunamis more timely and accurately. The PARIS system is under study but could be a reality in 2017 or 2018 if it meets the timetable for its launch. The system developed by this engineer microwave radiometer, which last June was awarded the Jaime I in the Technology category, was patented in the early 90s by the European Space Agency, where research.
"At that time it was only in orbit GPS navigation system U.S. and Russian GLONASS. As the years passed, other countries began to develop its satellite navigation systems," said Manuel Martin-Neira to ELMUNDO. is by telephone from the Netherlands, where the ESTEC ('European Space Research and Technology Centre'), the center of the ESA in which they work.
Although PARIS tests be conducted on the satellite navigation system Galileo European, PARIS may receive direct signals from across the global network of satellites and calculate the height of the sea surface. When a tsunami wave travels through the ocean, it shows a small rise. For example, a tsunami in the ocean can have a height of 30 or 60 inches.
When the ocean is very deep, the wave height is low but is very wide (about 200 or 300 miles) and traveling at high speed (about 800 km. Per hour). As the wave approaches the coast and dismuye depth, speed is reduced. Tapers into a wave of only 10 km. approx. All the water collects in this area, causing an increase in their height, which may have between 10 and 30 meters, producing a devastating effect on the coast.
"The goal is that a satellite can observe a strip PARIS Ocean 1,500 kilometers where we can capture this disturbance. To be able to detect 30 or 40 minutes before we would need a constellation of satellites PARIS, "said the engineer." With 10 satellites could monitor the entire Earth and alert with 30 or 40 minutes early, "calculates the engineer.
The system needed data were processed on Earth in real time and a very effective communications system to alert threatened populations reach. Martín-Neira think your system would complement the seismographs that detect the earthquake and buoys in the background sea to measure the pressure.
This sensor system was installed in Indonesia following the devastating tsunami of 2004: "They require some maintenance and expensive." Therefore, the objective is to complement various technologies. The tsunami in Japan on March 11 came the coast in less than an hour because as soon as the earthquake submarine warned the population.
However, today there is a global tsunami detection: "After the tsunami Japanese alerted all countries Pacific without having real information about whether, in fact, would occur. Was prevented in case ", says the researcher. PARIS The main objective is to measure sea surface, a calculation that, in addition to helping alleviate the effects of tsunamis, will study ocean currents and help better understand the ocean dynamics, ie how the water flows, some data that would improve the information currently available altimeters.
In addition, would provide interesting measures on vegetation, the water level of rivers or the thickness of the ice sheets. The satellite is built to carry out the tests receive navigation signals transmitted by Galileo and GPS satellite. PARIS The satellite will fly in a lower orbit. "It will turn and measure the whole earth (it takes 100 minutes to complete one lap, so that the day would be 14 bars).
This frequency would detect a tsunami anywhere in the world with at least 30 minutes early. No have to be an effort of a single space agency: "Both NASA and China's space agency has expressed interest in the concept PARIS" he says. The biggest challenge now is to raise funds for ESA member countries to realize the project.
"Our goal is to cost less than EUR 50 million," said Martín-Neira. Martín-Neira is also the engineer responsible for the so far successful MIRAS system, which was launched into space in late 2009 under SMOS. Collecting data on soil moisture and ocean salinity, measurements that help scientists to track and predict floods and droughts.
The instrument was used, for example, during severe flooding in Pakistan last summer and the recent torrential rains in Australia and New Zealand. The engineer of the ESA is confident that in the future be able to predict tsunamis and save many more lives, "With the technological advances we have in our hands is possible to improve prevention and early warning tsunami.
I hope that in future aerospace industry can contribute to it. " 
Automatically triggers an alert if he is not certain that it will reach the coast. However, in a few years of space technology could significantly improve the prediction of these devastating tidal waves that have caused a major catastrophe in Japan. A project of the European Space Agency (ESA) signed by the Spanish engineer Manuel Martín-Neira uses technology from satellites observing the Earth to measure the height of the ocean surface.
Potential applications are numerous but probably the most significant will be able to detect tsunamis more timely and accurately. The PARIS system is under study but could be a reality in 2017 or 2018 if it meets the timetable for its launch. The system developed by this engineer microwave radiometer, which last June was awarded the Jaime I in the Technology category, was patented in the early 90s by the European Space Agency, where research.
"At that time it was only in orbit GPS navigation system U.S. and Russian GLONASS. As the years passed, other countries began to develop its satellite navigation systems," said Manuel Martin-Neira to ELMUNDO. is by telephone from the Netherlands, where the ESTEC ('European Space Research and Technology Centre'), the center of the ESA in which they work.
Although PARIS tests be conducted on the satellite navigation system Galileo European, PARIS may receive direct signals from across the global network of satellites and calculate the height of the sea surface. When a tsunami wave travels through the ocean, it shows a small rise. For example, a tsunami in the ocean can have a height of 30 or 60 inches.
When the ocean is very deep, the wave height is low but is very wide (about 200 or 300 miles) and traveling at high speed (about 800 km. Per hour). As the wave approaches the coast and dismuye depth, speed is reduced. Tapers into a wave of only 10 km. approx. All the water collects in this area, causing an increase in their height, which may have between 10 and 30 meters, producing a devastating effect on the coast.
"The goal is that a satellite can observe a strip PARIS Ocean 1,500 kilometers where we can capture this disturbance. To be able to detect 30 or 40 minutes before we would need a constellation of satellites PARIS, "said the engineer." With 10 satellites could monitor the entire Earth and alert with 30 or 40 minutes early, "calculates the engineer.
The system needed data were processed on Earth in real time and a very effective communications system to alert threatened populations reach. Martín-Neira think your system would complement the seismographs that detect the earthquake and buoys in the background sea to measure the pressure.
This sensor system was installed in Indonesia following the devastating tsunami of 2004: "They require some maintenance and expensive." Therefore, the objective is to complement various technologies. The tsunami in Japan on March 11 came the coast in less than an hour because as soon as the earthquake submarine warned the population.
However, today there is a global tsunami detection: "After the tsunami Japanese alerted all countries Pacific without having real information about whether, in fact, would occur. Was prevented in case ", says the researcher. PARIS The main objective is to measure sea surface, a calculation that, in addition to helping alleviate the effects of tsunamis, will study ocean currents and help better understand the ocean dynamics, ie how the water flows, some data that would improve the information currently available altimeters.
In addition, would provide interesting measures on vegetation, the water level of rivers or the thickness of the ice sheets. The satellite is built to carry out the tests receive navigation signals transmitted by Galileo and GPS satellite. PARIS The satellite will fly in a lower orbit. "It will turn and measure the whole earth (it takes 100 minutes to complete one lap, so that the day would be 14 bars).
This frequency would detect a tsunami anywhere in the world with at least 30 minutes early. No have to be an effort of a single space agency: "Both NASA and China's space agency has expressed interest in the concept PARIS" he says. The biggest challenge now is to raise funds for ESA member countries to realize the project.
"Our goal is to cost less than EUR 50 million," said Martín-Neira. Martín-Neira is also the engineer responsible for the so far successful MIRAS system, which was launched into space in late 2009 under SMOS. Collecting data on soil moisture and ocean salinity, measurements that help scientists to track and predict floods and droughts.
The instrument was used, for example, during severe flooding in Pakistan last summer and the recent torrential rains in Australia and New Zealand. The engineer of the ESA is confident that in the future be able to predict tsunamis and save many more lives, "With the technological advances we have in our hands is possible to improve prevention and early warning tsunami.
I hope that in future aerospace industry can contribute to it. "
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