Tsunami Warning From Space? 351
Peter bayley writes "Tell me I'm crazy or tell me someone has already done it — but wouldn't a satellite equipped with a laser be a great way to warn people of tsunamis? I was pondering how to warn people in remote coastal areas once evidence of a seismic incident has been received by the monitoring stations that have now been set up following the large Boxing Day tsunami. The idea is to illuminate the areas that are likely to be at risk with a bright (but not dangerous) light. People would be told to head to higher ground if such a light appears in the sky. Put the satellite in a geosynchronous orbit. Make it tunable so that different colors can convey different meanings. You would be able to warn anyone, anywhere they can see the sky. The laser could be directed to illuminate only those areas at risk, skipping unnecessary areas to save power. Power could be varied so that it is visible day and night and through cloud (raise the power where the satellite detects cloud cover). I emailed some people at NOAA about it but they said it would stand on too many toes by circumventing local emergency service organizations in the various countries. I replied that countries could easily opt out, in which case the laser would be turned off for those countries — but received no further reply. Anyway, I thought the massed minds of Slashdot would relish the chance to demolish my idea."
Satellite? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Terrible idea, of course, which is why we don't (Score:1, Funny)
So a medium-size nuclear reactor in the sky.
Why hasn't anybody done this yet?
Re:I don't think so (Score:4, Funny)
You're right, I only read the first sentence of the question before replying, so my reply was totally off topic. That will probably cost me some karma.
Dumbest. Idea. Ever. (Score:4, Funny)
Why not just get Superman to fly backwards around the world really fast thereby (somehow) turning back time? He could then fly under the country in danger and lift it up until the tsunami passed safely underneath.
Seriously - why is this crap get on the front page?
Re:Terrible idea, of course, which is why we don't (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Opt out? (Score:4, Funny)
I'd say that right about now you should check your tinfoil hat dude.
Re:Terrible idea, of course, which is why we don't (Score:5, Funny)
you'd need at least a gigawatt of power to light up that kind of area.
You are sure it is not 1.21 GigaWatts? If we just could find a way to pump a lighthing bolt into space, we would be able to go back to the ... no, wait, wrong movie ...
easier way to get the power (Score:5, Funny)
Look, we just need a bright flash of light. It doesn't have to be a laser.
Put up a large number of satellites, much like GPS or Iridium. Each one holds a 30 megaton nuke. When an area is affected by a tsunami, we set off all the nukes that would be visible above the horizon.
Tsunamis are rare enough that we can normally launch a replacement system fast enough, assuming we don't put spares in different orbits. Have replacements ready to launch.
Re:easier way to get the power (Score:5, Funny)
Look, we just need a bright flash of light. It doesn't have to be a laser.
Put up a large number of satellites, much like GPS or Iridium. Each one holds a 30 megaton nuke. When an area is affected by a tsunami, we set off all the nukes that would be visible above the horizon.
Take out their power grid, their radios and computers, their cell phones, and their vehicles with the EMP. And, of course, the power grids of everybody else who can see those satellites above the horizon. Then while they're going "WTF???" hit 'em with the tsunami.
Re:Cheaper solution (Score:1, Funny)
... just make sure every cellphone receives an emergency band.
How long until the idle time of the emergency band is used for advertisements?
Re:easier way to get the power (Score:5, Funny)
Dear Iran,
This is a test of the Emergency Tsunami Warning System. Had this been an actual emergency these EMP pulses would have been followed by a tsunami. This concludes this test of the Emergency Tsunami Warning System.
-
Re:Cheaper solution (Score:3, Funny)
Wouldn't it be cheaper to hand out emergency radios that wait in a low power standby mode until a certain signal is received?
Not to mention more effective. The people who were affected by the Boxing Day Tsunami didn't know what it meant when the ocean suddenly receded. How will they know what a blinking light from space means?
With a radio, you greatly reduce the chances of the message being misinterpreted. I fear this satellite may become worshiped by some isolated people as the great God of the sea.
Re:Opt out? (Score:2, Funny)
...I think opt-in with formal education about not looking in a particular direction in the sky...
With the remaining eye?