Scientists at Tel Aviv University in Israel have come up with a novel approach of predicting the likelihood of devastating flooding. A research team headed by Prof. Pinhas Alpert has developed a methodology based on the fact that cell phone signals become fuzzy when it is raining outside because the radio waves being emitted are attenuated by the moisture in the air. Cell phone towers are already in place throughout the U.S. and in nations around the world. By monitoring the degree of signal interference, scientists can gauge the critical moisture distribution levels throughout a given region. This knowledge is especially important in areas where flood warnings are a regular occurrence throughout the spring and where the population has learned to ignore them to a certain extent. Scientists could use this methodology to help governments differentiate between the kind of flooding that exasperates residents with flooded basements and the kind of massive flooding that produces numerous fatalities and devastates entire regions. This predictive value was demonstrated by two case studies of flooding in the Judean Desert, where there are both cell phone towers and abundant instances of flooding. Using real data measurements collected from cell phone towers, the researchers demonstrated how microwave links used in a cellular network showed a convincing correlation to surface station humidity measurements, thus providing a crucial variable in constructing atmospheric models.View the Tel Aviv University announcement online.
Cell Phone Signals & Flood Prediction
