DART was developed to forecast and detect tsunamis along coastlines. The system can detect when a tsunami is present and then — using data from a pressure sensor on the ocean floor — will report the information back to the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Warning Centers to allow warnings and watches to be orchestrated.
“The Biden-Harris administration is making sure NOAA has the resources and technology needed to track tsunamis and warn coastal communities of threats,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement. “Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, this $30 million investment will modernize NOAA’s DART network to improve real-time tsunami forecasts and alerts in order to save lives and keep coastal communities safe.”