Earthquake and Tsunami Recovery Aided by USU's USTAR Space Weather Center
What: USU Sunrise Session Research Breakfast, “Space Weather Forecasts: Aiding Disaster Recovery Efforts”
Speaker: W. Kent Tobiska, director USTAR Space Weather Center
When: Friday, June 24, 7:30-9 a.m.
Where: Little America Hotel, 500 S. Main, Salt Lake City
A ferocious tsunami, spawned by one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, slammed Japan’s eastern coast March 11, 2011, killing hundreds of people as it swept away boats, cars and homes while widespread fires burned out of control. The event left thousands dead, injured or missing, and millions more affected by lack of electricity, water and transportation. Search-and-rescue teams from several countries joined Japanese forces to aid in recovery efforts.
The USTAR Space Weather Center at Utah State University assisted the Japanese disaster relief efforts by providing data maps outlining the best frequencies for radio communication within the islands of Japan. Storms in space, specifically in the ionosphere, can adversely impact communication and complicate the coordination of rescue teams.
The Space Weather Center was able to accurately interpret how space weather impacted high frequency communication used in disaster relief efforts in Japan. Maps of Japan were updated with real-time communication data specifying which frequencies were best to use for high frequency radio communication.
“During times of disaster management, communication connections are important to maintain,” said W. Kent Tobiska, director of the Space Weather Center at Utah State University. “Our goal was to provide information that allowed volunteers assisting with the relief effort to communicate in a timely fashion to best help the people of Japan.”
Maps created by the Space Weather Center can be seen online.
The Space Weather Center was created by the USTAR initiative at Utah State University in 2009. The Space Weather Center develops innovative applications for mitigating space weather in technical systems and is committed to providing operational, real-time products that will help mitigate adverse space weather effects on global communication and navigation systems. Learn more about the Space Weather Center online.
USU’s Sunrise Sessions is a breakfast lecture series held quarterly and is designed to highlight timely and cutting-edge research conducted at Utah State University. The lecture is sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and is free and open to the public.
To RSVP to the Sunrise Session, call 801-961-1340 or respond online.
Contact: USU Vice President for Research Office, 435-797-1180
Contact: Kent Tobiska, ktobiska@spacenvironment.net
W. Kent Tobiska, director USTAR Space Weather Center, is the featured Sunrise Session speaker Friday, June 24, in Salt Lake City.
The USU Space Weather Center is able to accurately interpret how space weather impacts high frequency communication. Maps of Japan are illustrated in this image help identify which frequencies are best to use for high frequency radio communication.
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