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**U.S. ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR AN IMPROVED TSUNAMI DETECTION AND WARNING
SYSTEM**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.40625in" height="3.125in"}Jan 14, 2005
--- Plans were announced today to expand the U.S. tsunami detection and
warning capabilities as a contribution of the [Global Earth Observation
System of Systems](http://www.noaa.gov/eos.html), or GEOSS---the
international effort to develop a comprehensive, sustained and
integrated Earth observation system. The plan commits a total of \$37.5
million over the next two years. **(Click NOAA image for larger view of
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) system in-place
and proposed for the expanded tsunami warning system. [Click
here](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/dart-buoy-newsystem.jpg)
for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit
"NOAA.")\[Please note that there will be two redundant systems
co-located in the Aleutian Islands, which are the two yellow dots that
appear on the left-hand side of the map.\]**

"President Bush is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of
U.S. lives and property through a system of monitoring and emergency
response that will mitigate the effects of natural disasters, including
earthquakes and tsunamis," said John H. Marburger III, science advisor
to the President and director, [Office of Science and Technology
Policy](http://www.ostp.gov/). "This plan will enable enhanced
monitoring, detection, warning and communications that will protect
lives and property in the U.S. and a significant part of the world.
Working through GEOSS and other international partners, The U.S. will
continue to provide leadership in planning and implementing a global
observation system and a global tsunami warning system, which will
ultimately include the Indian Ocean," Marburger said.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.6041666666666665in" height="2.1458333333333335in"}(Click NOAA image    ![](media/image3.jpeg){width="2.6034722222222224in" height="1.9583333333333333in"}(Click NOAA image for
  for larger view of retired Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., undersecretary of commerce for     larger view of retired Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and
  oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, speaking at a Washington, D.C., news conference on plans atmosphere and NOAA administrator, speaking at a Washington, D.C., news conference on plans to expand the
  to expand the tsunami warning system. [**[Click                                                        tsunami warning system. [**[Click
  here]{.underline}**](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/lautenbacher-tsunami011405.jpg)   here]{.underline}**](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/lautenbacher-tsunami-nc011405.jpg)
  for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit "NOAA.")                             for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit "NOAA.")

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="3.125in"
height="2.1666666666666665in"}With this new investment, NOAA will deploy
32 new advanced technology Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of
Tsunami, or DART, buoys for a fully operational tsunami warning system
by mid-2007. In addition, the United States Geological Survey will
enhance its seismic monitoring and information delivery from the Global
Seismic Network, a partnership with the National Science Foundation.
**(Click NOAA image for larger view of global seismograph network used
to detect undersea earthquakes. [Click
here](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/seismograph-globalnetwork.jpg)
for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit
"NOAA.")**

The new system will provide the United States with nearly 100% detection
capability for a U.S. coastal tsunami, allowing response within minutes.
The new system will also expand monitoring capabilities throughout the
entire Pacific and Caribbean basins, providing tsunami warning for
regions bordering half of the world's oceans.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="3.125in" height="4.135416666666667in"}The
United States has led the GEOSS effort since 2003 when the G-8 called
for establishing a global observation system. The United States launched
the GEOSS process by hosting the first Earth Observation Summit in July
2003. GEOSS now has 54 participating nations, including India, Indonesia
and Thailand. The GEOSS design for this new system is scheduled to be
adopted at the Third Earth Observation Summit that will be held in
Brussels this February. **(Click NOAA image for larger view of
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) system. [Click
here](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/tsunami-dart-system.jpg)
for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit
"NOAA.")**

The United States developed a Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated
Earth Observation System, which, like the GEOSS plan, focuses around
nine societal benefit areas, including "Reduce loss of life and property
from disasters" and "Protect and monitor our ocean resources." The U.S.
strategic plan will serve as the U.S. component to the GEOSS
implementation plan.\
\
NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety
through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related
events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal
and marine resources. NOAA is part of the [U.S. Department of
Commerce](http://www.commerce.gov/).

**Relevant Web Sites\
**[NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center Bulletins and
Map](http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/bulletins.htm)

[NOAA Tsunami Page](http://www.noaa.gov/tsunamis.html)

[Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
(DART)](http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Dart/dart.shtml)\
\
[NOAA Water Level Observation
Network](http://www.co-ops.nos.noaa.gov/usmap.html)

[NOAA and
Tsunamis](http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/grounders/tsunamis.html)

[NOAA Tsunami Detection and Warnings
(PDF)](http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/grounders/pdf/tsunami-factsheet2005.pdf)

[NOAA Indian Ocean Tsunami Weather
Support](http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/fews/tsunami/)

[NOAA Tsunami Research Program](http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami/)

[NOAA TsunamiReady Communities are
Prepared](http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/tsunamiready/tsunamiready.htm)

[NOAA Tsunami Warning System Receives High
Marks](http://www.magazine.noaa.gov/stories/mag153.htm)

[NOAA Leading the Way in Tsunami Research and
Education](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2200.htm)

**Media Contact:**\
[Scott Smullen](mailto:Scott.Smullen@noaa.gov), NOAA, (202) 482-6090;
[Delores Clark](mailto:Delores.Clark@noaa.gov) in Honolulu, Hawaii,
(808) 532-6411; [Jana Goldman](mailto:Jana.Goldman@noaa.gov), [NOAA
Research](http://www.research.noaa.gov/), in Silver Spring, Md, (301)
713-2483; or [Ann Thomason](mailto:Ann.Thomason@noaa.gov) in Seattle,
Wash., (206) 526-6800