GPS could help detect a tsunami. According to a team of researchers, it is possible to use the GPS network to detect the first signs of the disaster from space. Explanations.
According to a study by University College London and several Japanese universities, the GPS network (Global Positioning System) is able to detect tsunamis. Located in space, the satellites that make up the GPS network are able to identify the seismic waves that cause the huge waves of a tsunami.
As the researchers point out, a tsunami is usually caused by an earthquake, volcanic eruptions, or landslide in aquatic terrain. In all cases, these events generate seismic waves. The study claims that satellites can be used to spot seismic wavesthus anticipating the emergence of a tsunami.
How can GPS satellites save lives in the event of a tsunami?
“The first waves of a tsunami cause a disturbance in the upper atmosphere of the earth by pushing the air and creating an acoustic wave which is amplified as it rises”, explains the press release published by the British university. Based on this premise, scientists have developed a tool capable of interpreting the waves once they interfere with GPS signals.
According to the researchers, this technology makes it possible to alert the population before a time in advance. By carrying out simulations based on previous disasters, they discovered that the use of the GPS network showed more reliable, precise and fast than current systems.
Currently, tsunamis are identified by measuring seismic activity. The results of these devices are approximate. They only warn that a tsunami may occur in the near future. By exploiting part of the GPS and satellites of the network, it is theoretically possible to prophesy the emergence of a tsunami within 15 minutes following the appearance of the first seismic waves. The method could also be used to predict the second or third wave of the disaster.
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“Better warning can save lives and reduce widespread destruction, allowing people to get higher and away from the sea”, argues Professor Serge Guillas, in charge of the study. The researcher assures that “current tsunami warning systems are not as effective as they should be because they often cannot accurately predict the height of a wave”.
