Mon Prof Augmenté
Sensors on the Seabed
Age 14 · Technology
Instruments resting on the ocean floor feel the pressure and the shaking of a large earthquake. A buoy carries that signal upward so coastal towns can be warned before the water arrives.
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In the picture
- A pressure sensor on the seabed: it records the weight of the water above it and any sudden change
- A surface buoy: it floats above the sensor and sends the reading onward through the air
- A satellite: it receives the signal from the buoy and passes it to scientists on land
- A coastal town: streets and a stairway climbing uphill away from the shoreline
Examples
- A tide gauge in a harbour that logs the water height every few minutes.
- A weather station on a roof that measures wind speed and sends it to a phone app.
Key takeaways
- In deep water a tsunami wave is small at the surface but changes pressure strongly down at the seabed.
- Warning time depends on how much faster the signal travels than the wave itself.
Quiz: Sensors on the Seabed (Age 14)
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What does the pressure sensor on the seabed mainly record?
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What does the surface buoy do with the reading from the seabed sensor?
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Why can a warning reach coastal areas before the tsunami water arrives?
The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.
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