What are the Warning Systems for Tsunamis? 

A tsunami is one of the world’s most dangerous natural disasters. They destroy, kill, and damage homes and humans lives. We cannot stop or prevent a tsunami from happening, so the big question is, how can we protect ourselves? And what are some of the warning systems? And in what way do they protect us?

I guess the first thing that we should know is what is a tsunami?  A Tsunami is a series of waves traveling across an ocean, and has giant waves that are caused by volcanoes and earthquakes, under the sea.  There are three stages of a tsunami, Generation, Propagation, and Inundation. Generation of the tsunami is when it starts. It is the disturbance, so that would then be a earthquake, volcano, and the tectonic plates. The second stage is the propagation that is when the water starts to move across the deep ocean, and spreads out into all different directions. So it can travel as fast as 950 kilometers per hour through deep water. Also there wavelengths are very long in the ocean. And the last step is inundation that is when near land the water starts to get higher, and flows onto the foreshore. A tsunami is different depending on the coastline and the sea of the sea floor. If a tsunami is moving into shallow water then the amplitude will increase, that is called shoaling. But it does not happen everywhere. But it is more likely for it to occur in a lagoon, bay, harbor etc. So as the tsunami starts to approach the land, the wave grows high but then the speed is slower.  The movement of the water does not matter as much but the energy moving through the water is what makes it dangerous. So when we think about it how exactly is a tsunami different from wind swell waves, which are the typical waves we have daily on the shore? The first thing is that the wavelength of a wind swell is much shorter than a tsunami, and they can normally cause depths of water of 150 meters. Tsunamis have wavelengths that can go up to hundreds of kilometers apart, even when they reach shallow water. The third and second wave can be from ten minutes to two hours apart from each other! The movement of the water goes all the way to the seafloor. This is how a tsunami works.

Second, what type of damage do tsunamis even cause? The tsunamis trough which is the lowest part of the waves crest usually reaches the shore first. But when it does, it is like a huge vacuum cleaner! It sucks in all the water, then letting us see all the harbor, and sea floors. And on the shore they do not appear as breaking waves, instead it is a powerful wave that covers the land. Tsunamis are one of the most terrible natural disasters in the world. They destroy land, all the houses, shops, cities and villages are destroyed and many people are killed. They can even take the sand away from beaches, which takes years to build up. Tsunamis have happened since the begging of time! On October 28^th, Nankaido, Japan 1707, an earthquake hit and was estimated to have been at least the magnitude of 8.3. Then of course after a tsunami came along the coasts of Kii, Milkawa, Surugu, Izu, and Sagami. The waves were powerful enough to even make a split, which then later separated Lake Hamana from the sea. There homes and villages flooded, and a total of 31,000 people killed. Now two tsunamis that you many of heard of was, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the most recent one in Japan 2011. On December 26^th 2004, there was a big earthquake with the magnitude between 9.1. It was off the coast of Sumatra, and estimated at the depth of 30km. And the flat zone was around 1300 km long, which caused the tsunami. The tsunami hit other countries, Thailand, Malaysia, and India. And it killed over 300,000 people. On the coasts of South Asia, and South East Asia, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand suffering the most damage. Many of the towns and villages were completely destroyed or badly damaged. Many of those affected places are still trying to rebuild their homes. And lastly on March 11^th, North Pacific coast of Japan 2011, and earth quake hit, with the magnitude of 9.0. It traveled 800 km per hour, with waves at the height of 10m, flowing over the east coast of Japan. More than 18,000 people were killed, and around 425,000 people were relocated to shelters, because of their destroyed homes. The earthquake also caused a nuclear emergency, in Fukushima Daiichi were the nuclear power plant began leaking radioactive steam. These are why we need warning systems because tsunamis can destroy countries, and kill lives.     

Lastly, what are the warning systems? And how do they protect us? Tsunamis are danger to humans, animals, cities, countries etc. They can do so much damage and cause many deaths. So we want to find a way were humans know and can be warned when a tsunami is coming, to have a chance to get away, and be safe. The West Coast/ Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) are responsible for the warning systems, for California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. They also have the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) that is then responsible to warn other countries such as Hawaii and the U.S, countries within the Pacific basin. They both work together to warn countries if a tsunami is coming. But how do these warning systems work? So there are two types of sources, a distance source and a local source. A local source is when there is an earthquake and you feel violent shaking for around a few minutes you should head for higher ground. Because when there is an earthquake there will usually be a tsunami following afterward. But you should only do this when there is an earthquake near the water, because say if there was an earthquake right in the middle if Asia, it would not really affect the water. But then if there was an earthquake, near the bottom of Asia then that would maybe cause a tsunami. Especially when the earthquake will have a high magnitude, for example 9.0, which actually was the magnitude of the earthquake in 2004, Ocean Basin tsunami. Now for the distance source, there is a big tectonic plate, and all of its edges are the perimeter around the Pacific Ocean, we even have a nick name for it, The Ring of Fire! This plate causes many earthquakes, some that can have the magnitude of 7.0 and greater. Both of the tsunami warning centers use these certain buoys to help them with their tsunami warnings. Six of these buoys are put around the epicenter of the North Pacific to help scientist detect any signs of a tsunami. Depending on the water and how it might move across the Pacific and passing the buoy, the scientists can tell if a tsunami is approaching. One of the inventions that they also have is a warning toolbox buoys just to help avoid any false alarms, and provide backup if there are any outages. Once the scientists have found out that a tsunami is approaching, they will activate the Emergency Alert System. They will inform broadcasters, tv, radio, homes, businesses, schools, health care facilities etc. What is also good is that when there is a big earthquake when it causes a tsunami, it can take around 10 hours for it to get there, so you would have more time to prepare. But it depends because that I not always the case, after the earthquake in Japan 2011, the tsunami hit shortly after around 20 minutes later. You must always be prepared for a tsunami so some of the things you should do and consider, always have a disaster plan and a escape route, to get to higher ground. Always have a first aid kit for your home and car (This is also good for other natural disasters). And you should know how to turn off electricity, gas, and water.  So these are the warning systems, and how they work.  

In conclusion, tsunamis are very dangerous and we always need to be alert for when they will happen. And we have warning systems to protect humans, to help us be prepared for when a tsunami might be coming. Today I think we have pretty good warning system, but scientists are always trying to come up with new ideas to help and protect us more.

(Some tips on how to protect you, and be ready for a tsunami)

-Safety tips

-When you are on the beach in coastal areas, always be alert for tsunami warnings

-Have always an evacuation route that leads you to a higher ground

-Know the warning signs, the rumble of an earthquake, or the waters being pulled in

-Do not stay near the shore, to watch a tsunami

-Do not return to an affected or destroyed place, until authorities say it’s safe, because a tsunami is a series of waves

-Plan for a tsunami

-Always have a disaster plan

-Know that you are at risk for danger

-have a supplies kit, for home and car

-First aid kit, canned food and opener, bottled water, battery operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing, and instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, water

-During Tsunami

-Follow instructions by local authorities

-Evacuate immediately

-Get to higher ground as fast as you can

-After tsunami

-Help injured or trapped people

-stay out of buildings if water remains around it

-Waters can cause buildings to sink, or floors to crack, and walls to collapse

-check for gas leaks

-open windows and doors to help dry things out

-look for fire hazards 

Bibliograhy

"How Do Tsunami Work?" How Do Tsunami Work? Web. 02 June 2012. <http://beachsafe.org.au/tsunami/ema/pages/03_workings.html>.

"The 10 Most Destructive Tsunamis in History - Australian Geographic." The 10 Most Destructive Tsunamis in History - Australian Geographic. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/the-10-biggest-tsunamis-in-history.htm>.

"History's Biggest Tsunamis." LiveScience.com. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.livescience.com/13176-history-biggest-tsunamis-earthquakes.html>.

"Tsunami Safety Tips." National Geographic. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tsunami-safety-tips/>.

"Tsunami Safety Tips." Tsunami Safety Tips. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.nilesema.com/tsunamitips.htm>.

"Weather Wiz Kids Weather Information for Kids." Weather Wiz Kids Weather Information for Kids. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-safety-tsunami.htm>.

"NOAA Tsunami - How Does the Tsunami Warning System Work?" NOAA Tsunami - How Does the Tsunami Warning System Work? Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/warning_system_works.html>.

"Children of Tsunami - Asians Affected by Tsunami Tell Their Own Story on Video." Children of Tsunami - Asians Affected by Tsunami Tell Their Own Story on Video. Web. 02 June 2012. <http://www.childrenoftsunami.info/tsunami/what.htm>.

Guiding Question:

How do waves interact with each other and with soild objects in their paths?
 What are the basic properties of waves, and how many different types of waves are there? 

Hypothesis:

I think that maybe the waves will just as it pass make the object go up and pass. But if they are big waves then it will cover the object.  I think there are about 7 different types of waves.

Observations:

-The Bigger the Disturbance the more amplitude, for example a big person jumping in a pool would make lots of amplitude, so more water would fly up in the air. Where are compared to a smaller person jumping in the pool then there is less amplitude.

     
 Big                                                                                Small





-If there is less amplitude and more frequency, then there is more constant and quick ripples, but the waves are small because of the less amplitude.

-If there is low frequency and a high amplitude then there is not many ripples

-If the frequency is in the middle and the amplitude is on high, then the ripples are costant and are all around the same size.

-So same as just before but instead say if we put a barrier after a few of the ripples, then after the barrier the ripples are still going but they are much smaller

-So same again but we will put the barrier even closer, then at the start there are big waves, but as it hits the barrier then there is very small ripples

here are some other pictures of observations I have made:

Data Analysis: What patterns or relationships do you see in your data table/ sketches/ images?

What I have noticed from my observations with the droplets and the cork is that ofcourse it makes ripples in a circle, but where ever you let the droplet drop then the ripples after hitting the wall will always bonce back coming to the place where they started. One of the things that I have also noticed is that when you let drops from two pipes then it seems as if the ripples are doubling, so there is more ripples. When you put a cork in no matter where the drop is or if you use two pipes then it doesnot move the cork, maybe a little, but it does not move it and also the water does not cover the cork. The third thing that I have noticed is that if you put something in the way of the ripples it will blok of some of the ways that they ripples would usually go. So for example when I put in the paper towel when the ripples get to it then they stop. lso for example when I put in one of the clays facing landscape the ripples went everywhere except for the top of the pan. And then when we had two pieces of clay facing landscape the ripples went even through the middle of them, but no ripples at the top and that was because the clay was blocking it. And it is same from the simulation observations, When the block was near the disturbance, when the ripples got to it when they were very big, after they were very small.

Conclusion: What do you conclude about the behavior of waves in the various situations you created today? Can you answer the guiding question now?

The behavior of the waves depend on some of the properties of a wave. That is frequency, amplitude, because the frequency is how many peaks/crests/waves pass a given point per second (H2). Amplitude is the height of the wave, so the size of the disturbance determines the amplitude of the wave. So when I was looking at the simulations and taking observations, I was controlling the frequency and amplitude and that is what was controlling how big the waves were  and the ripples it made. A wave is characterized by the way it moves. There are three types of waves. And the last property of a wave is the wavelength, and that is the distance between crests or troughs. So in all the size of a wave depends on the frequency and amplitude.

 Unit Reflection, Space Exploration 

By: Hannah Riley

What effects are cause by the motions of earth and the moon? :

The earth rotating on its axis is called a rotation and is 24 hours, so a day. Earth rotating around the sun takes 356 days a year. The earth’s axis has a tilt or else it would have no seasons. During June, it is the summer solstice, when it is summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere. This is when the north of the axis is facing the sun and the south is not. In December you have the December solstice, when it is summer in the southern hemisphere and then winter in the northern hemisphere. Also in May and September you have the Equinoxes, which occur twice a year, when it is usually spring or fall, and neither north nor south of the axis is facing the sun.

 

Tides are caused by the gravity from the moon pulling earth which is then also pulling the body of water causing a high tide, and then the earth is also leaving water on the other side, causing a high tide on the other side. Then in-between you have the love tides. During the day you have 4 tides, 2 high and 2 low. You have spring tides, which are when it can only happen in a full or new moon, and the moon and sun are pulling on the earth. And you have a neap tide which happens when the moon is in first or third quarter.

 Students will understand that scientists are using the knowledge they have of earth’s surface and atmosphere in search of extraterrestrial life:

Scientists use the knowledge of earth so that they can find other places that can help support life. All the things we have on earth that keep us alive are what we need if we ever need to go to a different place. For humans, we need water, oxygen, food, etc. They try to find these things on other planets so that they can find other ways and places where us humans can live and survive for in the future.

 Students will understand that the international space station and space probe as well as satellites are excellent tools for further space study:

For Humans to find out more about space we need more than just ourselves to help us, we need tools, space rockets, satellites, and space probs. We use space probes to go to places where it is hard for humans to go, or is too far. For example Mars rover its job is to look for signs of past water on mars. The mars rover has many tools and it takes samples of the rocks, soils, and minerals to help identify the clues to the past activity of water on mars. We also have telescopes to help us see things from far away for example; one of the greatest telescopes is the Hubble which was launched in 1990. The Hubble orbits around earth, and it gives us a great view of our universe compared to telescopes grounded on earth.  It is so amazing the Hubble can even peer through gases to take pictures.

 

 

How has the development of technology and space flight helped astronomers learn more about the other parts of the solar system and the structure of the universe? :

Technology and space flight has helped us learn a lot about space. Because space a massive place! And a rocket ship cannot take a person all the way there, so we use the satellites and the space probes to take pictures and to see closer. We never would have found out about galaxies or other things in our universe with a rocket ship because it’s too far away, so we thank technology for that. But then space flight is also very important, because then astronauts can get a feeling of a planet, what it looks like, and maybe even the chemicals. By this way we can learn a lot about the universe.

How are conditions in space different from those on earth? How space technology has benefited modern society?:

Space is very different from earth; the first thing that comes to my mind is that there is no oxygen and gravity. Space is a enormous place and we don’t even know how big! Space has many planets, for example like the ones in our solar system. Space is a whole different world, our world is in another! And space technology has really helped us because; it helps us see what things are near and around earth, our solar system, our galaxy! It helps us see if other places in space are like earth, we explore space to see what is there, to see if other things are possible. There could be a whole other world out there with people, humans just like us. And space technology lets us explore that and try and find out!

Did you enjoy this unit? Did you feel like this was something of importance to your life to learn about? Did you make any connections in your life while you were studying this unit? What are some things you liked and didn’t like? What are some ways for me to improve this unit, other that making it shorter?

I absolutely loved this unit so, so much! And why I loved it was because first I have never learned about space and I have always seemed a little confused but fascinated about it. Learning about space was very important because, astronauts and other people are working hard to figure out what other things that we can find in space, and how us humans will be able to live in space as well. Because until this unit I have never thought about what is outside earth, never thought about what makes us have seasons, tides, revolve around the sun, our moons, and I finally get to know! There was nothing at all that I did not like, well nothing that I can remember. But I really did enjoy everything because I honestly have never really thought about space. Before I was taught this unit to me this was space, we live on earth, we have a moon and there are a whole bunch of other planets called a solar system, we have a sun that keeps us warm, and then we have lots of stars, and lastly we go in space rockets to check out space. That is all I knew! And now I know so much about space! I don’t think there is anything for improving because I learned everything in a very fun way; I don’t think any class in this unit when I was ever bored. And I don’t want it to ever get shorter, because I don’t want to stop learning about space! 

Space Exploration: I s it worth the cost?

Space Exploration: Is it worth the cost?

By: Hannah Riley

We love our earth and we like to find out all the things about the place we are living on, but we also want to find out about the place our planet is living in, which is space! But the question we ask and wonder is it worth the cost? So let’s explore all the objects and things that we do to find out about space, the information that we can find so us humans can do other things in space! But why should we use our money on space when there are other things we can do?

First how do we explore Space? We use many things to explore space. We have humans that go up into space by rocket; Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon in 1969. Humans go to space to learn and find out how to keep humans alive in space. They do experiments to see if we are able to live on other planets, for example Mars. To find out if we can be in space and are able to live and still have oxygen, water, food, etc. We use telescopes to see things far away, to be able to see things in different ways. One of the greatest telescopes is the Hubble which was launched in 1990. The Hubble orbits around earth, and it gives us a great view of our universe compared to telescopes grounded on earth. It is so amazing the Hubble can even peer through gases to take pictures. And lastly we also use space probes which are like robots that can go to places that are too far for humans to go and they are able to even take pictures for us! For example the Mars rover its job is to look for signs of past water on mars. The mars rover has many tools and it takes samples of the rocks, soils, and minerals to help identify the clues to the past activity of water on mars.

Second why spend all our money on space when we can spend it on other things? Space exploration costs loads and loads of money! But why use our money when we can use it for other things on earth like medicines, research into new drugs that can save lives, hospitals, and medical insurance. We need the money for research to make medicines that can cure diseases, even cancer. We need hospitals for people and insurance because some people do not have enough money to pay for their medicine. For example some children in Africa need shots to keep them safe from diseases like malaria. Education, many kids and adults are not educated which is very important because people need to learn about the world, and people need education to get jobs. So why spend our money on space when say astronauts might be going to space but then the space rocket explodes! we just wasted a whole lot of money! Nasa budget is $17.7 billion dollars! WOW! But then comparing it to national science which $8.0 billion you can see that the national science is low. But also the department of Education's budget is $79.1 billion! So as we can see space is still very important but the budget for education my much higher!

We need money for our renewable resources, we are lucky that we are able to have renewable resources, for example solar panels, but again it costs money to have them. We need money for natural disasters, for when terrible things happen to a country and we need money to help build places again, and help the people who have lost the things that have been destroyed. For example in Japan when they had the earthquake and tsunami, many people died, and things were destroyed. Lastly we need money for world hunger, for example the people in Africa do not have enough food and they do not have the money for it.

Third what are the good benefits to space exploration? The benefits are that we want to find out more about space, the place where our planet earth lives in, we want to be able to do the things in space that we do here on earth. Today astronauts go up into space and they do experiments for example farming plants, and animal reproduction. . Also one of the good things that we are able to do in space already is, we are able to recycle our waste for drinking water! They have plants to see how they will grow in the different changes of being in a space ship. Soon we know that because the earth will be polluted and many other things for (example natural disasters) we cannot live there anymore, and will have to find another place in space to live! So experimenting with plants is good because they do not only help us with food but they also give us oxygen to breathe and water to drink. They test fish to see what the changes are to reproducing in their natural habitats and the difference in space. We are trying to explore and make a miniature ecosystem out of people, plants, microbes, and machines because these are the things that can support space travelers. These are some of the benefits to why we should use the costs in exploring space.

In Conclusion I think space exploration is still very important it is worth the cost. But other problems we have on earth are also just as important, or more. So yes space exploration is important, but others are just as equal!

Bibliography:

"Leafy Green Astronauts." - NASA Science. Web. 09 Apr. 2012. .

http://hubblesite.org/the_telescope/hubble_essentials/

"Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Science." Mars Exploration Rover Mission: Home. Web. 09 Apr. 2012. .