Peter Koltermann

Chilean tsunami was first real scale test of the UNESCO/IOC Pacific Tsunami Warning System and enabled emergency evacuations

Cropped USGS energy propagation pattern of the 27 February 2010 tsunami calculated with MOST forecast modelThe 8.8 magnitude earthquake that wreaked havoc on Central Chile on February 27, 2010 also generated a tsunami which crossed the entire Pacific Ocean, reports the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) enabled emergency response agencies to warn locals about the risk of tsunami and order evacuations. This is the first real ocean-wide test of a system that was put in place nearly 50 years ago.

Peter Koltermann, posted on March 4th, 2010
Articles, Disasters, Earth Observation, Technology

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Large X-class Flare Erupts on the Sun

Large X-class Flare Erupts on the Sun

On Jan. 27, 2012, a large X-class flare erupted from an active region near the solar west limb. X-class flares are the most powerful of all solar events. Seen here is an image of the flare captured by the X-ray telescope on Hinode. This image shows an emission from plasma heated to greater than eight million degrees during the energy release process of the flare. Image Credit: JAXA/Hinode