Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis

The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.

Each DART station consists of a seafloor bottom pressure recording (BPR) package that detects pressure changes caused by tsunamis and a surface buoy. The surface buoy receives transmitted information from the BPR via an acoustic link and then transmits data to a satellite, which retransmits the data to ground stations for immediate dissemination to NOAA's Tsunami Warning Centers, NOAA's National Data Buoy Center, and NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. The Iridium commercial satellite phone network is used for communcation between 31 of the buoys

Prototype development began in 1995 and the first four DART stations were in place by 2000.

As of 2004, there were six DART stations deployed in the Pacific; however, due to heightened concerns in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and its subsequent tsunamis, plans were announced to deploy an additional 32 DART buoys by mid-2007. These would include stations in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean for the first time.

For a list of DART stations and their locations see

Diagram

See also

• Global Sea Level Observing System
• Tsunami warning system
• Tsunami

References

External links

• http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami/Dart/
• http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Dart/dart.shtml
• Realtime DART buoy data from the National Data Buoy Center
• Social & Economic Benefits of the DART system from "NOAA Socioeconomics" website initiative