Improved Observations for Disaster Warnings

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Improved Observations for Disaster
Warnings     Moderators Gene Whitney (OSTP) and
Margaret Davidson (NOAA)   Rapporteurs Ralph
Cantral and Jenny Thompson (NOAA) and Andrew J.
Bruzewicz (USACE) Objective To develop an
integrated EOS to improve disaster warning with
its constituent components.
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• What makes observations for improved disaster
  warnings a near term opportunity? What makes
  disaster or hazards observations a near term
  opportunity?
• Technology is now ripe
• Lots of data
• Indian Ocean Tsunami
• Political will in the US
• Disasters can be worked even in the face of
  political differences
• What will be the benefits of an integrated
  observation system for disaster warnings? (Aside
  from reduction in the loss of life and property
  damage.)
• Fewer false alarms and evacuations
• Mitigation of cascading disasters
• Ability to pass common data over common
  communication channels

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• What should be the scope of an integrated
  observation system to improve disaster warnings?
• Open access with certification by governmental
  bodies
• Need to compartmentalize responsibilities
  without creating orphan requirements
• Interagency support
• Integration is not centralization. Aspects
  include spatial and temporal, disciplinary, land,
  water, and air
• Disaster data collection and observation exists
  in a larger context including planning, analysis,
  and product delivery
• What are the major scientific and technological
  challenges (and barriers)?
• Building connections between systems
• Effective and verified predictive models
• Understanding of the underlying physical
  processes
• More robust instruments with high resolution or
  density
• Design and updating of GIS products
• Inclusion of social scientists
• Awareness of uncertainty issues, accuracy, and
  precision of the data.

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• N Year Integration Framework
• Supplement critical databases using existing
  technology (especially topography and shallow
  bathymetry) (2 year)
• Improve resolution with new instruments (6 and
  10 years)
• Capture current benefits of through a
  multihazard approach
• Deformation measurement and other benefits from
  SAR. Existing instruments (2 year) and new
  capabilities (L band)
• Develop a prototype integrated system.
  Inventory, assess and address know deficiencies
  in system components (sensors, data, models, DSS
  tools), identify deficiencies, improve critical
  components, develop model and DSS metadata. (2-6
  years)
• Sea bed seismology (6-10 years)
• Next generation thermal sensors (6-10 years)
  including evaluation of existing systems (2
  years)
• Data archive and retrieval systems
• Soil moisture forecasting
• Evaluate use of UVs and UAVs

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