MELBOURNE, Fla. and
NICOSIA, Cyprus, March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harris
Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and
information technology company, is providing communications
technology, engineering services and operations support for a new
offshore sensor system to help detect and provide early warnings of
tsunamis in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Harris is supporting CSnet International, Inc., whose CSnet
(CYPRUS) Ltd. affiliate is teamed
with the Oceanography Centre of Cyprus to develop and deploy a prototype
Tsunami Warning and Early Response system for Cyprus (TWERC).
This system will consist of an array of seismometers and very
sensitive pressure sensors installed on several hundred kilometers
of seafloor and connected to a Harris OceanNet™ buoy moored about
80 kilometers off the southern coast of Cyprus. The buoy is one element of the
Offshore Communications Backbone (OCB) project that Harris is
developing with CSnet. OCB is a modular, expandable system of
seafloor equipment, power, communications and services for
long-term, deep-ocean observation.
"This system will not only serve to protect citizens and
visitors of Cyprus, but also all
those along the entire, densely populated eastern Mediterranean
coast, which is a very seismically active region," said Dr.
Andrew Clark, president and chief
executive officer of CSnet.
Fast-moving tsunamis pose a special threat in the Mediterranean
Sea because it is relatively narrow, with a maximum width of only
1,600 kilometers. By comparison, the Pacific Ocean is so
large a tsunami traveling at speeds greater than 750 kilometers an
hour can still allow for hours of warning. A tsunami
originating at the center of the Mediterranean Sea would arrive on
shore within an hour, making real-time monitoring and warning
essential.
"Harris developed and has successfully operated an OceanNet™
buoy in the eastern Mediterranean to provide oceanographic data for
this region since 2004," said Rick
Simonian, president of Harris Maritime Communications
Services. "Adding tsunami warning sensors to the more
comprehensive OCB system is a natural extension of this unique
service offering."
The warning and early response system will incorporate proven
tsunami detection techniques, as well as new approaches under
evaluation by CSnet to develop a highly reliable, yet
cost-effective, system that can benefit developing regions, which
are most vulnerable to tsunamis.
"The system will include not only the offshore technology, but
also capacity building on shore, including public education and
outreach," said Dr. Georgious
Georgiou, director of the Oceanography Centre of
Cyprus and TWERC project leader.
"Detecting the wave is only part of the solution.
Transmitting that warning quickly to a population that knows
what to do when they receive it is equally critical."
A high-resolution photograph of a Harris technician preparing to
conduct routine maintenance on the OceanNet™ buoy located in the
Mediterranean Sea is available at:
http://www.harris.com/harris/whats_new/Opening-Main-Hatch-003.jpg
Harris Maritime Communication Services provides worldwide VSAT
(Very Small Aperture Terminal used for two-way satellite
communications) systems and managed services for the maritime
community, remote land-based installations, and autonomous buoy
systems for marine science and environmental monitoring.
Additional information is available at mcs.harris.com.
About CSnet International
CSnet International, Inc. addresses the worldwide need for
turnkey design, development, deployment, operation and maintenance
of large and complex offshore communication networks.
Additional information about CSnet is available at
www.csnetintl.com.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information
technology company serving government and commercial markets in
more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has
approximately $5 billion of annual
revenue and more than 15,000 employees — including nearly 7,000
engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing
best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and
services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is
available at www.harris.com.
SOURCE Harris Corporation