Methods of dealing with hurricanes. What measures should be taken to deal with natural disasters? Hurricanes: Causes of Natural Disasters
As I already wrote, the emergence of large-scale, stable and fairly long-lived atmospheric vortices is a very common phenomenon. It is very natural and follows from the fundamental laws of hydrodynamics, and does not even require any special temperature conditions or energy influx. But not every whirlwind becomes a serious hurricane. This requires energy "recharge" in the form of very warm water on the surface of the ocean, leading to abundant evaporation and convection into the upper layers of the troposphere.
The first experimental attempts to fight hurricanes were made back in the 40s and 50s and were rather naive, due to insufficient understanding of the physics of the processes. The technology was similar to cloud-seeding guns: the idea was to destroy the walls of the "eye" of a hurricane with the help of a seed for water droplets (usually iodine salts) that would fall in the form of rain. But it did not work: the walls of the "eye" were constantly being restored.
To understand why such methods do not work, one must keep in mind that although the central convective cell (the "eye" of a hurricane) plays a crucial role in its dynamics, it contains only a small fraction of its energy. If the central cell is destroyed, the rapid rotation of the surrounding air will continue. As the rotating air rubs against the ocean's surface, the Coriolis force (due to the Earth's rotation) will push the lower layers of air towards the center of rotation. If there is warm water in the ocean, this will be accompanied by intense evaporation, and will quickly lead to the restoration of the convective cell.
For the same reasons, a large explosion in the center of a hurricane will not work either: it will, of course, temporarily disrupt convection, but it will quickly recover for the reasons described above.
Some of the methods being considered now are based on a different idea: to create artificial small hurricanes that would "suck" energy from the atmosphere and the upper layer of water. One of the more exotic ways is a kind of "star wars" to heat the top layer of water or a column of air using microwave radiation from space, creating a "seed" for a moderately sized atmospheric vortex. But this, of course, is rather frivolous.
Another version was proposed by Moshe Alamaro from the Department of Earth, Atmopspheric and Planetary Sciences (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), in collaboration with Russian and German scientists. Once I myself worked at this faculty (and also defended my Ph.D. there). Recently on this topic was. The idea is to put a lot of old aircraft engines on the barge and blow their exhaust jet up. This should initiate the convective cell of a small hurricane, preventing it from becoming a very intense one like Katrina.
I am very skeptical about this. This is reminiscent of the idea that lies in the artificial, controlled burning of forest areas, so as not to leave dry land for a big fire. But if there is only a certain and limited amount of combustible material in the forest, then incomparably more thermal energy is contained in the upper layer of the tropical ocean than in all hurricanes combined for the entire season. Trying to reduce this amount with small vortices is unproductive. On the contrary, small vortices can merge with their own kind and form large ones. Such a procedure would be reminiscent of an uncontrolled burning of a forest area, but making large fires on the territory of an oil storage facility is a dubious undertaking.
There is another problem with such an undertaking: for the formation of a hurricane, a very large-scale initial heating is needed, which is unlikely to be created by several dozen aircraft turbines. It is necessary that the convective cell "pierce" through the entire troposphere, and the outer contours of the hurricane be in the so-called "geostrophic regime" (when the pressure gradient is balanced by the Coriolis force, then a stable rotation occurs). This is achieved at distances of at least many tens of kilometers - this should be the diameter of the initial "seed" for a hurricane.
In fact, there were precedents when such a regime was caused by artificial heating: during the massive bombing of Dresden and Hamburg by Allied aircraft in 1945. Then the burning cities turned into a kind of hurricane, where intense convection took place in the center to the very stratosphere, and a self-sustaining vortex arose along the edges like an ocean hurricane. But spending so much energy in the middle of the ocean is still problematic.
However, not bad at all for some opportunistic considerations: for example, in Russia there is a lot of aviation fuel and a lot of old decommissioned turbojet engines. To imagine thousands of turbines constantly blowing into the sky in the middle of the ocean is a pretty good way to cut down on the American budget. Hurricanes will not be prevented, but less money will be left for some new adventures like Iraq - again, the benefit to all mankind.
The third group of potential methods of dealing with hurricanes is to deprive them of recharge - to dramatically reduce the evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean. For this, various methods are considered. One is a thin layer of organic material (something like an oil slick) on the surface of the water that would hold up well in stormy weather but self-destruct without any trace a few days later. A similar idea is being explored by renowned hurricane specialist Kerry Emmanuel from the same department (during my time at MIT, my office was a few doors away from his):
http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/?id=4849
So far, experiments with surface films are at the very initial stage, and also cause skepticism. Another idea, while rather amorphous, is to induce "anti-convection" (upwelling) in the ocean so that deep, cold layers rise to the surface of the ocean at the site of the hurricane and weaken it. In my opinion, this is a generally sounder direction, which may turn out to be quite reasonable in terms of energy costs and does not contradict any laws of physics or our knowledge of hurricanes, and does not have long-term consequences for the environment. But how this can be done in practice remains very vague.
Every year, atmospheric whirlwinds, in which wind speeds sometimes reach 120 km / h, sweep over tropical seas, devastating the coast. In the Atlantic and eastern Pacific they are called hurricanes, on the western Pacific coast they are called typhoons, in the Indian Ocean they are called cyclones. When they break into densely populated areas, thousands of people die and property damage reaches billions of dollars. Will we ever be able to harness the merciless elements? What needs to be done to make a hurricane change its trajectory or lose its destructive power?
Before you start managing hurricanes, you need to learn how to accurately predict their route and determine the physical parameters that affect the behavior of atmospheric vortices. Then you can start looking for ways to influence them. While we are still at the very beginning of the journey, but the success of computer simulation of hurricanes allows us to hope that we can still cope with the elements. The results of modeling the reaction of hurricanes to the smallest changes in their initial state turned out to be very encouraging. To understand why powerful tropical cyclones are sensitive to any disturbances, it is necessary to understand what they are and how they originate.
Hurricanes arise from thunderstorm clusters over the oceans in the equatorial zone. Tropical seas supply heat and water vapor to the atmosphere. Warm, moist air rises, where water vapor condenses and turns into clouds and precipitation. At the same time, the heat stored by water vapor during evaporation from the surface of the ocean is released, the air continues to heat up and rises higher and higher. As a result, a zone of low pressure is formed in the tropics, forming the so-called eye of the storm - a zone of calm, around which a vortex spins. Once overland, the hurricane loses its supporting source of warm water and quickly weakens.
Since hurricanes get most of their energy from the heat released by the condensation of water vapor over the ocean and the formation of rain clouds, the first attempts to tame the recalcitrant giants were reduced to the artificial creation of clouds. In the early 60s. 20th century this method was tested in experiments conducted by the US government's Project Stormfury scientific advisory panel.
Scientists have tried to slow the development of hurricanes by increasing rainfall in the first rain band, which begins just outside the storm's eye wall, a collection of clouds and strong winds surrounding the hurricane's center. Silver iodide was dropped from an aircraft to create artificial clouds. Meteorologists hoped that the sprayed particles would become crystallization centers of supercooled water vapor rising into the cold layers of the atmosphere. It was assumed that the clouds would form faster, while absorbing heat and moisture from the surface of the ocean and replacing the eye wall of the storm. This would lead to the expansion of the central calm zone and the weakening of the hurricane.
Today, the creation of artificial clouds is no longer considered an effective method, because. it turned out that the content of supercooled water vapor in the air masses of storms is negligible.
Sensitive Atmosphere
Modern research on hurricanes builds on an assumption I made 30 years ago when I studied chaos theory as a student. At first glance, chaotic systems behave randomly. In fact, their behavior is subject to certain rules and is highly dependent on the initial conditions. Therefore, seemingly insignificant, random perturbations can lead to serious unpredictable consequences. For example, small fluctuations in ocean water temperature, shifts in large air currents, and even changes in the shape of rain clouds swirling around the center of a hurricane can affect its strength and direction.
The high susceptibility of the atmosphere to minor disturbances and the errors accumulated in weather modeling make long-term forecasting difficult. The question arises: if the atmosphere is so sensitive, is it possible to somehow influence the cyclone so that it does not reach populated areas or at least weakens?
I used to never dream of realizing my ideas, but over the past decade, mathematical modeling and remote sensing have come a long way, so it's time to get into large-scale weather control. With funding from the NASA Advanced Idea Institute, my colleagues at the national science and design consulting firm Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER) and I began computer simulations of hurricanes to develop promising methods of impacting them.
chaos simulation
Even the most accurate computer weather forecasting models today are not perfect, but they can be very useful in the study of cyclones. To make forecasts, numerical methods for modeling the development of a cyclone are used. The computer sequentially calculates indicators of atmospheric conditions corresponding to discrete points in time. It is assumed that the total amount of energy, momentum and moisture in the considered atmospheric formation remains unchanged. True, the situation is somewhat more complicated at the boundary of the system, because the influence of the external environment must be taken into account.
When building models, the state of the atmosphere is determined by the full list of variables characterizing pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction. Quantitative indicators correspond to the simulated physical properties that obey the conservation law. In most meteorological models, the values of the listed variables are considered at the nodes of a three-dimensional coordinate grid. A specific set of values of all parameters at all points of the grid is called the state of the model, which is calculated for successive moments of time separated by small intervals - from several seconds to several minutes, depending on the resolution of the model. The movement of the wind, the processes of evaporation, precipitation, the influence of surface friction, infrared cooling and heating by the sun's rays are taken into account.
Unfortunately, meteorological forecasts are not perfect. First, the initial state of the model is always incomplete and inaccurate, because it is extremely difficult to determine it for hurricanes, since direct observations are difficult. Satellite images show the complex structure of the hurricane, but they are not informative enough. Secondly, the atmosphere is modeled only by the nodes of the coordinate grid, and the small details located between them are not included in the consideration. Without high resolution, the simulated structure of the most important part of the hurricane—the storm's eye wall and surrounding areas—is unreasonably smooth. In addition, mathematical models of such chaotic phenomena as the atmosphere quickly accumulate computational errors.
To conduct our research, we have modified the initialization scheme that is effectively used for forecasts, the four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVAR) system. The fourth dimension present in the title is time. Researchers at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, one of the largest meteorological centers in the world, are using this sophisticated technology to predict the weather on a daily basis.
First, the 4DVAR system assimilates the data, i.e. combines readings obtained from satellites, ships and measuring instruments at sea and in the air, with the data of the preliminary forecast of the state of the atmosphere, based on actual information. A preliminary forecast is given for six hours from the moment the readings of meteorological instruments are taken. The data coming from the observation posts are not accumulated within a few hours, but are immediately processed. The combined observations and preliminary forecast are used to calculate the next six-hour forecast.
Theoretically, such complex information most accurately reflects the true state of the weather, since the results of observations and hypothetical data correct each other. Although this method is statistically well-founded, the initial state of the model and the information necessary for its successful application still remain approximate.
The 4DVAR system finds such a state of the atmosphere, which, on the one hand, satisfies the model equations, and, on the other hand, turns out to be close to both the predicted and the observed situation. To accomplish the task, the initial state of the model is corrected in accordance with the changes that have occurred over six hours of observation and simulation. In particular, the identified differences are used to calculate the response of the model - how small changes in each of the parameters affect the degree of agreement between the model and observations. The calculation using the so-called conjugate model is carried out in reverse order at six-hour intervals. Then the optimization program selects the best version of corrections to the initial state of the model so that the results of further calculations most accurately reflect the actual development of processes in the hurricane.
Since the correction is performed by the method of approximation of equations, then the whole procedure - modeling, comparison, calculation using the coupled model, optimization - must be repeated until exactly verified results are obtained, which become the basis for making a preliminary forecast for the next six-hour period.
Having built a model of a past hurricane, we can change its characteristics at any time and observe the consequences of the introduced disturbances. It turned out that only self-amplifying external influences affect the formation of a storm. Imagine a pair of tuning forks, one of which is vibrating and the other is at rest. If they are tuned to different frequencies, then the second tuning fork will not move, despite the effect of sound waves emitted by the first. But if both tuning forks are tuned in unison, the second will enter into resonance and begin to oscillate with a large amplitude. In the same way, we are trying to “tune in” to the hurricane and find the right stimulus that would lead to the desired result.
Taming the Storm
Our AER science team ran computer simulations of two devastating hurricanes that raged in 1992. When one of them, Iniki, passed directly over the Hawaiian island of Kauai, several people died, massive property damage was done, and entire forest areas were leveled. A month earlier, Hurricane Andrew hit Florida south of Miami and turned an entire region into a desert.
Considering the imperfections of existing forecasting methods, our first modeling experiment was an unexpected success. To change the path of Iniki, we first of all chose a place a hundred kilometers west of the island, in which the hurricane should be in six hours. Then we compiled the data of possible observations and loaded this information into the 4DVAR system. The program had to calculate the smallest changes in the basic parameters of the initial state of the hurricane, which would modify its route in the right way. In this primary experiment, we allowed the choice of any artificially created perturbations.
It turned out that the most significant changes affected the initial state of temperature and wind. Typical temperature changes throughout the coordinate network were tenths of a degree, but the most noticeable changes - an increase of 2°C - were in the lower layer to the west of the center of the cyclone. According to calculations, wind speed changes amounted to 3.2-4.8 km/h. In some places, the wind speed changed by 32 km/h as a result of a slight reorientation of the wind direction near the center of the hurricane.
Although both computer versions of Hurricane Iniki—the original and the perturbed ones—seemed to be identical in structure, small changes in key variables were enough to turn the hurricane to the west in six hours and then move due north, leaving the island of Kauai untouched. Relatively small artificial transformations of the initial stage of the cyclone were calculated by a system of non-linear equations describing its activity, and after six hours the hurricane came to the appointed place. We are on the right track! Subsequent simulations used a higher resolution grid and programmed the 4DVAR system to minimize property damage.
In one experiment, we improved the program and calculated the temperature increase that could curb the wind off the coast of Florida and reduce the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew. The computer had to determine the smallest disturbances in the initial temperature regime, which could reduce the strength of the storm wind in the last two hours of the six-hour period. The 4DVAR system has determined that the best way to limit the wind speed is to make large changes in the initial temperature near the center of the cyclone, namely to change it by 2-3°C in several places. Smaller changes in air temperature (less than 0.5°C) occurred at a distance of 800 to 1000 km from the center of the storm. The disturbances led to the formation of undulating alternating rings of heating and cooling around the hurricane. Despite the fact that only the temperature was changed at the beginning of the process, the values of all the main characteristics quickly deviated from those actually observed. In the unmodified model, gale-force winds (over 90 km/h) swept south Florida towards the end of the six-hour period, which was not observed when the modifications were made.
To test the reliability of our results, we performed the same experiment on a more complex model with higher resolution. The results were similar. True, strong winds resumed on the modified model six hours later, so additional intervention was needed to save southern Florida. It is likely that in order to keep a hurricane under control for a certain period of time, it is necessary to launch a series of planned disturbances.
Who will stop the rain?
If the results of our research are consistent and small changes in air temperature in a hurricane vortex can really affect its course or weaken the wind strength, then the question arises: how to achieve this? It is impossible to immediately heat or cool such a vast atmospheric formation as a hurricane. However, it is possible to heat the air around the hurricane and thus regulate the temperature regime.
Our team plans to calculate the exact structure and amount of atmospheric heating required to reduce the intensity of a hurricane and change its course. Undoubtedly, the practical implementation of such a project will require a huge amount of energy, but it can be obtained using orbital solar power plants. Power-generating satellites should be equipped with giant mirrors that focus solar radiation on the elements of the solar battery. The collected energy can then be sent to microwave receivers on Earth. Modern designs of space solar stations are capable of propagating microwaves that do not heat the atmosphere and therefore do not lose energy. To control the weather, it is important to send microwaves from space at frequencies at which they are best absorbed by water vapor. Different layers of the atmosphere can be heated according to a pre-conceived plan, and the areas inside the hurricane and below the rain clouds will be protected from heating, because. raindrops absorb microwave radiation well.
In our previous experiment, the 4DVAR system detected large temperature differences where microwave heating could not be applied. Therefore, it was decided to calculate the optimal perturbations under the condition that the air temperature in the center should remain constant. We got a satisfactory result, but in order to compensate for the invariance of the temperature in the center, we had to change it significantly in other places. Interestingly, during the development of the model, the temperature at the center of the cyclone changed very rapidly.
Another way to suppress strong tropical cyclones is to directly limit the energy entering them. For example, the surface of the ocean could be covered with a thin, biodegradable oil film that could stop evaporation. In addition, it is possible to influence cyclones a few days before their landfall. Large-scale restructuring of the wind structure should be undertaken at the altitude of jet aircraft, where changes in atmospheric pressure greatly affect the strength and trajectory of hurricanes. For example, the formation of contrails of aircraft can certainly cause the required perturbations of the initial state of cyclones.
Who will take the helm?
If meteorologists learn how to manage hurricanes in the future, serious political problems are likely to arise. Although since the 1970s The UN Convention prohibits the use of the weather as a weapon, some countries may not be able to resist the temptation.
However, our methods have yet to be tested on atmospheric phenomena that are harmless compared to hurricanes. First of all, experimental disturbances should be tested to increase precipitation over a relatively small area controlled by measuring instruments. If the understanding of cloud physics, their digital modeling, comparative analysis techniques and computer technology will develop at the current pace, then our modest experience can be put into practice. Who knows, maybe in 10-20 years many countries will be engaged in large-scale weather control using atmospheric heating from space.
Protection of the population during hurricanes, storms, tornadoes
Hurricanes, storms and tornadoes are related to wind meteorological phenomena, in their destructive effect they are often comparable to earthquakes. The main indicator that determines the destructive effect of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes is the velocity pressure of air masses, which determines the force of dynamic impact and has a propelling effect.
In terms of the speed of the spread of danger, hurricanes, storms and tornadoes, given in most cases the forecast of these phenomena (storm warnings), can be classified as emergency events with a moderate speed of propagation. This makes it possible to carry out a wide range of preventive measures both in the period preceding the immediate threat of occurrence, and after their occurrence - until the moment of direct impact.
These time measures are divided into two groups: advance (preventive) measures and work; operational protective measures taken after the announcement of an unfavorable forecast, immediately before this hurricane (storm, tornado).
Early (prevention) measures and work are carried out to prevent significant damage long before the onset of the impact of a hurricane, storm and tornado and can cover a long period of time.
Early measures include: restriction of land use in areas of frequent passage of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes; restriction in the placement of facilities with hazardous industries; dismantling of some obsolete or fragile buildings and structures; strengthening industrial, residential and other buildings and structures; carrying out engineering and technical measures to reduce the risk of hazardous industries in strong wind conditions, incl. increasing the physical stability of storage facilities and equipment with flammable and other hazardous substances; creation of material and technical reserves; training of the population and personnel of rescue services.
Protective measures taken after receiving a storm warning include:
forecasting the path of passage and time of approach to various areas of a hurricane (storm, tornado), as well as its consequences;
operational increase in the size of the material and technical reserve necessary to eliminate the consequences of a hurricane (storm, tornado);
partial evacuation of the population;
preparation of shelters, basements and other underground facilities for the protection of the population;
moving unique and especially valuable property to solid or buried premises;
preparation for restoration work and measures for the life support of the population.
Measures to reduce possible damage from hurricanes, storms and tornadoes are taken taking into account the ratio of the degree of risk and the possible extent of damage to the required costs.
Particular attention in carrying out early and prompt measures to reduce damage is paid to the prevention of those destructions that can lead to the emergence of secondary damage factors that exceed in severity the impact of the natural disaster itself.
An important area of work to reduce damage is the struggle for the stability of communication lines, power supply networks, urban and intercity transport. The main way to increase stability in this case is their duplication by temporary and more reliable means in strong wind conditions.
Hurricanes, storms and tornadoes are one of the most powerful forces of the elements. They cause significant destruction, cause great damage to the population, and lead to human casualties. In terms of their destructive impact, they are compared with earthquakes and floods.
The destructive effect of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes depends on the velocity pressure of air masses, which determines the force of dynamic impact and has a propelling effect.
Often storms and hurricanes are accompanied by thunderstorms and hail.
A hurricane, originating in the ocean, comes to land, bringing catastrophic destruction. As a result of the combined action of water and wind, strong buildings are damaged and light structures are demolished, wires of power transmission and communication lines are cut off, fields are devastated, trees are broken and uprooted, roads are destroyed, animals and people are dying, ships are sinking.
How terrible is a hurricane?
First, hurricane waves crashing on the coast. The hurricane, as it were, squeezes huge waves (several meters high) onto the shore in front of it. They destroy everything in their path and lead to severe flooding in coastal areas. The terrible consequences of hurricane waves are observed when a hurricane coincides with the tide. Rarely do eyewitnesses of these terrible and powerful waves survive.
Secondly, catastrophic downpours and floods. The fact is that a hurricane at its inception absorbs a huge amount of water vapor, which, condensing, turns into powerful thunderclouds that serve as a source of catastrophic downpours and cause floods not only in coastal areas, but also in large areas remote from the coast. Heavy rainfall that accompanies hurricanes is also the cause of mudflows and landslides.
In winter conditions, instead of rain, a huge amount of snow falls, causing unexpected avalanches. In the spring, when such masses of snow melt, floods occur.
Thirdly, the propelling action of the velocity pressure of a hurricane is manifested in the separation of people from the ground, their transfer through the air and impact on the ground or structures. At the same time, various solid objects are rapidly sweeping through the air, which hit people. As a result, people die or receive injuries of varying severity and concussion.
A secondary consequence of the hurricane is fires resulting from lightning strikes, accidents on power lines, gas communications, and leakage of flammable substances.
Storms are far less devastating than hurricanes. However, they, accompanied by the transfer of sand, dust or snow, cause significant damage to agriculture, transport and other sectors of the economy.
Dust storms cover fields, settlements and roads with a layer of dust (sometimes reaching several tens of centimeters) over areas of hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. Under such conditions, the harvest is significantly reduced or completely lost, and large expenditures of effort and money are required to clean up settlements, roads and restore agricultural land.
Snow storms in our country often reach great strength over vast areas. They lead to the cessation of traffic in cities and rural areas, the death of farm animals and even people.
In this way, hurricanes and storms, being dangerous in themselves, in combination with the phenomena accompanying them, create a difficult situation, bring destruction and casualties.
A tornado, in contact with the earth's surface, often leads to destruction of the same degree as with strong hurricane winds, but on much smaller areas.
These destructions are associated with the action of rapidly rotating air and a sharp rise of air masses upwards. As a result of these phenomena, some objects (cars, light houses, building roofs, people and animals) can lift off the ground and be transported hundreds of meters. Such an action of a tornado often causes the destruction of raised objects, and inflicts injuries and contusions on people, which can lead to death.
Measures to protect and reduce the consequences of hurricanes, storms, tornadoes. Algorithm of actions in case of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes
Protection of the population from the consequences of hurricanes and storms is carried out within the framework of the functioning of the Unified State System for the Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations (RSChS).
The state of the atmosphere is continuously monitored from artificial Earth satellites. For this, a network of meteorological stations has been created. The received data is processed by weather forecasters, on the basis of which forecasts are made.
Forecasting the occurrence of cyclones, their movement and possible consequences makes it possible to carry out preventive measures to protect the population from the consequences of hurricanes and storms. These activities can be divided into two groups according to the time of their implementation: early and operational-protective, carried out directly in the event of a threat of natural disaster.
Early measures include: restrictions on the placement of facilities with hazardous industries in areas prone to the effects of hurricanes and storms; dismantling of some obsolete or fragile buildings and structures; strengthening industrial and residential buildings and structures. Preparations are being made for action in a natural disaster.
Operational and protective measures are carried out after receiving a storm warning about the approach of a natural disaster. Operational and protective measures include: forecasting the path of passage and the time of approach of a hurricane (storm) to various regions of the region and its possible consequences; strengthening supervision over the implementation of permanent safety rules; transition of various objects of the economy to a safe mode of operation in conditions of strong wind. A partial evacuation of the population from the areas of the expected natural disaster can be carried out; shelters and basements are being prepared to protect the population.
Notification of the population about the threat of hurricanes and storms is carried out in advance according to the established notification scheme of the RSChS: people are informed about the time of the approach of a natural disaster to a particular area and are given recommendations on actions in a particular situation.
Particular attention is paid to the prevention of those destructions that can lead to the emergence of secondary factors of damage (fires, accidents at hazardous industries, dam breaks, etc.), exceeding in severity the impact of the natural disaster itself.
Measures are taken to prevent the spill of hazardous liquids.
An important area of work to reduce damage is the struggle for the stability of communication lines, power supply networks, wired urban and intercity transport, vulnerable to hurricanes, storms and tornadoes.
When carrying out operational measures in rural areas, along with generally accepted measures, they organize the delivery of feed to farms and complexes, the pumping of water into towers and additional tanks, and the preparation of backup energy sources. Farm animals located in forests are taken to open areas or sheltered in ground structures and natural shelters.
To effectively protect the population from hurricanes, storms and tornadoes, preparations are being made for the use of shelters, basements and other buried structures.
Information about the threat of hurricanes, storms and tornadoes is carried out in advance.
Remember!
Anyone who lives in areas prone to hurricanes and storms needs to be aware of the signs of their approach. This is an increase in wind speed and a sharp drop in atmospheric pressure; heavy rainfall and storm surge from the sea; heavy snowfall and ground dust.
A natural disaster is a natural phenomenon that is of an emergency nature and leads to disruption of the normal activities of the population, death of people, destruction and destruction of material values.
Descriptions of the greatest natural disasters of the distant past are explicitly or implicitly recorded in the memory of people, in myths and legends, ancient books, and historical manuscripts. In the Bible, for example, a "global flood" is described, which in fact was, of course, not "global", i.e. global, but for a community of people whose sphere of life was limited to the valley of a large river or a vast intermountain basin, a severe flood undoubtedly seemed to be the death of the whole world. Floods occur quite often, but some of them become truly catastrophic. So, in 1931, a grandiose flood on the Yangtze River in China flooded 300 thousand square meters. km of territory. In some areas, including in the city of Hankou, the water subsided for four months. The Bible also tells about the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the destruction of the city of Jericho. Experts believe that the biblical description quite accurately reproduces the picture of the earthquake. Many researchers of the legendary Atlantis believe that it was a large island that sank to the bottom as a result of an earthquake. The cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii were destroyed and buried under a layer of ash, pumice and mud as a result of the eruption of Vesuvius. Sometimes volcanic eruptions and earthquakes lead to the formation of a giant tidal wave - a tsunami. In 1833, Krakatoa volcano erupted, accompanied by an earthquake, which, in turn, caused a huge tidal wave. It reached the neighboring densely populated islands of Java and Sumatra and claimed about 300 thousand human lives.
A lot of publications are devoted to the characteristics of various natural disasters in the past and present. We will name only some of them, mainly those that are most widely used in this section. In 1976, the XXIII International Geographical Congress took place in Moscow, where the section "Study of natural disasters" worked. The materials of this section were published in the collection of abstracts of reports and messages "Man and Environment" (M., 1976). Of particular interest to the topic under consideration is the work of R. Cates "Natural Disaster and Economic Development". Huge factual material is also contained in the monographs: R. Cates "Natural disasters: study and methods of struggle" (M., 1978); SV Polyakov "Consequences of strong earthquakes" (M., 1978); S.S. Ginko "Disasters on the banks of rivers" (L., 1963); A.A. Grigoriev "Ecological Lessons of the Past and Present" (1991) and others. A special place among the books on natural disasters is occupied by the publications of the famous Belgian volcanologist Garun Taziev. The following works of his were published in Russian: "Craters on fire" (M., 1958); "Meetings with the Devil" (M., 1961), "Volcanoes" (1963) and others. For specialists in human ecology, the most important aspect of natural disasters is their consequences for human life. According to the Department of Disasters of the Smithsonian Institution (USA), the number of victims on the planet caused by natural disasters for the period from 1947 to 1970 was approximately as follows:
Cyclones, typhoons, storms on the coast - 760 thousand dead
Earthquakes - 190 thousand dead
Floods - 180 thousand dead
Thunderstorms, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, etc. - 62 thousand dead
Total - 1192 thousand dead
Thus, for almost a quarter of a century, about 50,000 people per year on average died from natural disasters. After 1970, the statistics were supplemented by an extensive list of natural disasters. Let us recall only the earthquake in America in 1988. Then, according to various estimates, from 25 to 50 thousand people died. It is estimated that 9/10 of the world's natural disasters are of four types: floods (40%), tropical cyclones (20%), earthquakes (15%), droughts (15%). In terms of the number of victims, tropical cyclones rank first, while floods are more frequent and cause great material damage. R. Cates believes that the damage caused to the world economy by natural disasters is about 30 billion US dollars annually. 20 billion of them are net damages, and the remaining 10 billion are expenses for preventive actions and measures to mitigate the consequences of the rampant disaster.
In the anthropological aspect, the definition of natural disasters can be formulated as follows: natural disasters are destructive natural processes that cause death of people as a result of exposure to poisonous hot gases and lava during volcanic eruptions, tidal waves during tsunamis and typhoons, water and mud flows during mudflows etc., as well as as a result of injuries in the destruction of residential and public buildings, production facilities and technical structures; destruction of agricultural products in fields and plantations, in storage facilities and warehouses; death of farm animals; destruction of communal and sanitary infrastructure, including electrical networks, communication systems, water supply and sewerage. The latter circumstance often leads to massive outbreaks of infectious diseases after natural disasters. E.Yu. White (1978) notes: “As the population grows, the spread of scientific and technological advances and the complexity of the structure of society, a person becomes more and more vulnerable to extreme natural events, the damage from which is associated not only with their distribution, but also with the uncertainty of their avalanches, earthquakes, tropical cyclones, and many other natural disasters are on the rise, despite increasing scientific research into the causes of extreme events and the multiplication of new ways to deal with natural disasters to reduce losses in some areas. danger of new material values, and also increases the danger of some natural phenomena. Sophisticated methods of providing assistance in the event of a disaster are better developed than ways to prevent it. "
The danger of a tropical cyclone consists in the extreme action of one or all of its elements (wind, rain, storm surges and waves). Storm surges represent the most destructive factor. On November 12, 1970, a tropical cyclone in the northern Bay of Bengal caused a 6-meter rise in sea level, which coincided with high tide. This storm and resulting flooding killed an estimated 300,000 people, and crop losses alone are estimated at $63 million, but these numbers do not reflect the full impact of the storm. Approximately 60% of the coastal fishing population was killed and 65% of fishing boats in the coastal region were destroyed, which significantly affected the supply of protein food for the entire region.
Tropical cyclones- seasonal phenomena, the frequency of which in different areas varies on average from one to 20 hurricanes per year. Up to 110 hurricanes originating over the Atlantic can be traced from satellites per year. But only 10-11 of them grow to such a size that they can be called hurricanes or tropical storms. An important measure of protecting people from hurricanes is their forecasting. Tropical cyclones are usually identified initially and then tracked by satellite imagery. If a hurricane is found to be intensifying, a forecast of its path and speed is made, which is then refined as new information becomes available. When Hurricane approaches the coast at a distance of 300 km, its speed and direction of movement can be determined by radar. Forecasts typically seek to identify the stretch of coastline threatened by the hurricane, the location of expected maximum storm surge, areas of heavy rainfall and flooding, and signs of tornadoes at least 36 hours before tropical cyclone landfall. The US Weather Service issues 24-, 12-, and 6-hour forecasts to the public that contain information about the location and characteristics of the cyclone, and if necessary, hourly bulletins are issued. In Australia, warnings are issued every 6 hours when the hurricane is more than 100 miles offshore and every 3 hours when it is making landfall.
In order to protect people's lives and their property, the administration and the population itself in hurricane-prone areas take various measures. Attempts are being made to influence the hurricane itself. To do this, for example, clouds in the hurricane zone are seeded with silver iodide. Protective coastal dams are being built, protective ramparts are being poured, dunes are fixed with vegetation, forest plantations are being made. Shelters are being built. Great importance is attached to strict observance of the rules of zoning of the territory, compliance with building codes. Buildings are strengthened, their wind and hydroprotection is made. Stocks of water, food and building materials are being stockpiled in case of disaster. The most important role belongs to the hurricane warning system. Equally important is the well-organized evacuation of people from the danger zone. American researchers very succinctly formulate protection measures directly during a hurricane: "Evacuation. Search for shelter. Prayer." Concise and recommendations on what to do immediately after the hurricane:
- Submit insurance claims.
- Provide the necessary financial assistance to the victims and restore normal life.
- Accept losses.
Everyone understands that tropical cyclones pose a great threat to life and property in many parts of the world, but most people are surprisingly nonchalant about this threat. In the city of Miami on the coast of Florida, only 20% of the population spends money on preventive measures. In Bangladesh, during the catastrophic hurricane of 1970, 90% of the inhabitants of the area knew about its approach, but only 1% took shelter from the hurricane.
In a hydrological sense, flooding means the inundation of coastal areas with river flow that exceeds the full capacity of the channel. In arid areas, at the time of high flow, the channel itself, usually not filled with water, "floods *. The flood stage begins when the channel overflows, when water overflows the banks. A flood level is usually set, critical in terms of damage to property and interference with human activity. Flood- a significantly more common natural disaster compared to other extreme natural events. Flooding can occur on both permanent and temporary streams, as well as in areas where there are no rivers and lakes at all, for example, in dry areas with heavy rainfall. The problem of human adaptation to floods is becoming especially complex, because floods, along with a negative impact on the population and on its habitat, also have positive aspects. In flood-prone areas, there is no shortage of water and fertile floodplain lands. Attempts to resolve the conflict between the need to develop coastal lands and the inevitable losses from floods have been made throughout human history. Even in the more primitively organized pre-industrial societies, people adapted to floods. So, special forms of land use developed among farmers in the lower reaches of the Nile, in the lower reaches of the Mekong. The people of the Barotse Plain in northwest Zambia are responding to the annual seasonal flooding of coastal areas by general migration to higher ground.
In the industrial societies of the 20th century, the concept of multiple use of river basins, according to which the reduction of damage from floods should be combined with rational water use planning, is widely entrenched. Densely populated areas of the Earth are especially affected by floods on rivers: India, Bangladesh, China. In China, devastating floods most often occur in the lowlands, in the valleys of the Huang He and Yangtze rivers. Despite many hundreds of dams, centuries of experience in flood control, the inhabitants of these places still become victims of floods. Floods occur here almost every year, and once every 20-30 years they are catastrophic. Many large cities are confined to the river valleys, and the main agricultural areas are located on their banks. In the XX century. especially severe floods on the Yangtze occurred in 1911, 1931, 1954. In 1931, 60 million people suffered from a famine caused by a flood. During the flood of 1911, 100 thousand people died.
There is usually an inverse relationship between property damage from floods and the number of victims. Societies that have something to lose in terms of buildings, utilities, vehicles, etc., usually have the scientific and technical means to provide monitoring, warning, evacuation of the population and repair and restoration work, all of which contribute to reducing the number of victims. On the contrary, pre-industrial societies, especially those with a high rural population density, suffer less significant property losses, but do not have the necessary funds to implement preventive measures and save people. Population casualties are the most tragic and by far the most easily identified direct result of the flood. In rural areas, losses are especially high due to the death of farm animals and flooding of land, accompanied by soil erosion and the destruction of crops. Water damages agricultural equipment, seeds, fertilizers, feed stored in warehouses, disables irrigation systems and other sources of water supply, and destroys roads. Floods cause damage to city property, including buildings of all types, engineering structures and communications, transport, and river management. Indirect losses are usually associated with impacts on human health and general well-being, although values such as scenic beauty, recreational opportunities and the preservation of wilderness areas should also be taken into account. The normal functioning of health services is greatly complicated by damage to vehicles and engineering networks, especially water pipes. As a result of flooding, there is a danger of infection and pollution of the area, outbreaks of epizootics, which can lead to an increase in the incidence of the population.
In mitigating the negative effects of floods, the role of forecasts is great. The lead time for forecasting the maximum rise in the water level or overflowing the channel can vary from several minutes during heavy rainfall to several hours in small watersheds in the upper reaches of rivers and several days in the lower reaches of large rivers.
The lead time and reliability of warnings increase as you move down the river, if you have the necessary information about the course of the flood in the upstream sections. Most developing countries have to rely on far scarcer data than is needed for forecasting and warning purposes. With the floods caused by floods on the rivers, a person is actively fighting. For this, dams and dams are being built, channels are being deepened and straightened, reservoirs are being built to collect flood waters, and measures are being taken to manage land use in the river basin.
Many examples can be given of how in our country the damage from floods was significantly reduced by preventive measures. In May and June 1987, a very severe flood occurred in the Tyumen region. On the rivers Irtysh, Tobol, Tura, Vaga and Iset, the water overflowed its banks and formed a vast spill. Some areas of Tobolsk, Tyumen, Khanty-Mansiysk and a number of smaller settlements were under the threat of flooding and destruction. As a result of the flood, five railway bridges were damaged, more than 300 km of roads were destroyed or damaged. More than 500 thousand hectares of agricultural land were flooded and devastated. The damage would have been much greater if they had not begun to prepare for the flood in advance, back in March. In particular, Tyumen was saved from flooding as a result of the urgent construction of a 27 km long dam. An artificial earthen rampart helped protect the river and a significant area of the lower part of Tobolsk from flooding. In those places of the Tyumen region, where preparations for meeting with the flood were carried out technically and ecologically illiterate, the damage from the elements was more tangible. Many villages were flooded here. In total, more than 1 thousand houses, 80 villages and villages were cut off from the regional centers by the flood. In some places, urgent evacuation of people was needed. Many small dams, built without taking into account the size of the natural disaster, were also destroyed.
The willingness to bear the losses continues to be the main mode of adaptation to floods for most residents of potentially flooded areas in developing countries, and often developed ones. Obviously, special measures are needed in order to encourage the population and administration to act and develop a common management strategy for these natural disasters.
An earthquake is a sudden release of the potential energy of the earth's interior, which takes the form of shock waves and elastic vibrations (seismic wave) propagating in all directions. An earthquake is a complex disaster due to its numerous direct and secondary manifestations on the earth's surface. Among the direct consequences is the displacement of the soil from seismic waves or tectonic surface movements. Secondary effects include subsidence and compaction, landslides, cracks, tsunamis, fires and snow avalanches. This many-sided disaster entails a huge number of victims and great material losses. The total number of victims from earthquakes from 1980 to 1989 is, according to A.A. Grigoriev (1991), about 1.2 million people. The largest number of earthquake victims (82% of all victims) falls on 6 countries of the world: China - 550 thousand people, the USSR - 135 thousand (taking into account the victims of only the Ashgabat and Spitak earthquakes), Japan - 111 thousand, Italy - 97 thousand ., Peru - 69 thousand, Iran - 67 thousand people. On average, about 14 thousand people die every year from earthquakes on Earth. Danger zones around the epicenters of destructive earthquakes reach large sizes. The boundaries of the devastation zone can be tens or even hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter. So, in particular, it happened in 1985 during the earthquake in Mexico. Its epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean, not far from the resort town of Acapulco. However earthquake was so strong that it caused damage to a large part of the country. Its capital, Mexico City, was especially hard hit. The force of the push reached 7.8 points on the Richter scale. In Mexico City, which was located 300 km from the epicenter, over 250 buildings were completely destroyed, 20 thousand people were injured. During the earthquake in Guatemala in 1976, the devastation zone extended to 60 km from the epicenter. 95% of settlements were destroyed in it, including the ancient capital of the country, Antigua, was completely destroyed. 23 thousand people died.
Despite 4,000 years of experience in studying earthquakes, it is very difficult to predict this phenomenon. The most that modern science can do is predict a major seismic shock without specifying the exact time. True, there are individual cases of accurate prediction of earthquakes, as, for example, in China in 1975 in the province of Liaoning. The first signs of a revival of tectonic activity in this area were noticed by local residents in December 1974. They were carefully studied by specialists. The area was under constant surveillance. And already after the first small shocks on February 1, 1975, geologists came to a firm conclusion about the possibility of a devastating earthquake in the very near future. On the same day, the local authorities carried out an urgent evacuation of the population. Three days later, on February 4, a strong earthquake began. In some areas of the province, 90% of the buildings were damaged. However, there were few casualties. According to experts, it was possible to avoid the death of 3 million people. Earthquakes continue to be formidable enemies of humanity. About 2 billion people currently live in seismically active regions of the world. Among the densely populated areas, China, Japan, Indonesia, Central America, the western United States and the south of Central Asia should be called the most dangerous because of the possibility of destructive tremors.
The most radical means of protecting the health and life of people from earthquakes is the relocation of the population to seismically safe areas. However, examples of this kind are extremely rare, among them is the relocation of the city of Valdez in Alaska. In 1964, seismic shocks here destroyed the port and most of the residential and commercial areas. Under the pressure of the administration in 1967, the city was moved to a safe place.
As a result of volcanic activity, thousands of people die, and huge damage is caused to the economy and property of the population. In the last 500 years alone, 200,000 people have died from volcanic eruptions. Their death is the result of both the direct impact of volcanoes (lava, ash, poisoned hot gases) and indirect consequences (including famine, loss of livestock). Despite the negative experience of mankind, modern knowledge about volcanoes, many millions of people live in their immediate vicinity. In the 20th century alone, several tens of thousands of people died from eruptions. In 1902, on the island of Martinique, during a volcanic eruption, the entire city of Saint-Pierre, located 8 km from the crater of the active volcano Mont Pele, was destroyed. Almost the entire population died (about 28 thousand). The eruption of Mont Pele was noted in 1851, but then there were no casualties or destruction. In 1902, 12 days before the eruption, experts predicted that it would be similar in nature to the previous one, and thereby reassured the inhabitants. The largest volcanic eruption in terms of the number of victims and material damage occurred in 1985 in Colombia. Ruiz volcano "woke up", which had not erupted since 1595. The main disaster occurred in the city of Amero, located 40 km from the Ruiz crater. Hot gases ejected from the crater of the volcano and pouring lava melted the snow and ice on its top. The resulting mudflow completely destroyed Amero, in which 21 thousand inhabitants lived. At the same time, about 15 thousand people died. Several other settlements were also destroyed. Great damage was caused to 20 thousand hectares of agricultural plantations, roads, communication lines. About 25 thousand people died, the total number of victims exceeded 200 thousand.
Today, volcanic activity does no less harm to mankind than in previous centuries. And this is very surprising, since through observations it was possible to quite accurately determine the size of the zones of dangerous impact of volcanoes. The lava flow during large eruptions extends to a distance of up to 30 km. Incandescent as well as acidic gases are dangerous within a radius of several kilometers. For a much longer distance, up to 400-500 km, acid rainfall zones spread, which cause burns in people, poisoning of vegetation, crops, and soil. Mud-stone flows that arise on the tops of volcanoes during the sudden melting of snow during the eruption, spread over a distance of several tens of kilometers, often up to 80-100 km.
A.A. Grigoriev (1991) notes: “It would seem that the colossal experience accumulated by mankind in the fight against natural disasters should have long ago convinced people to leave areas dangerous to their livelihoods. However, in practice, something quite different is observed. Moreover, it turned out that many people do not consider dangerous some phenomena of the elements that really threaten their lives. Quite indicative are the assessments of the behavior of people living in the eastern part of the island of Pune, which belongs to the Hawaiian Islands. Here is the Kilauza volcano, at a distance of 30 miles from which there are several settlements. This active volcano erupted 50 times after 1750, and 20 times after 1955. During eruptions, lava flows repeatedly directed towards settlements, destroying houses, roads, crops, and agricultural land. But the inhabitants, although they sometimes move the villages to other places, do not think of leaving this dangerous region. At the same time, 57% of the residents surveyed believe that the Kilauz eruption is dangerous for the land, property, but not for the people themselves. Over 90% of respondents believe that living near a volcano has more advantages than disadvantages.
For many centuries, humanity has developed a fairly coherent system of measures to protect against natural disasters, the implementation of which in various parts of the world could significantly reduce the number of human casualties and the amount of material damage. But until today, unfortunately, we can only talk about individual examples of successful opposition to the elements. Nevertheless, it is advisable to once again list the main principles of protection against natural disasters and compensation for their consequences. A clear and timely forecast of the time, place and intensity of a natural disaster is necessary. This makes it possible to timely notify the population about the expected impact of the elements. A properly understood warning allows people to prepare for a dangerous event by either temporary evacuation, or the construction of protective engineering structures, or the strengthening of their own houses, livestock buildings, etc. The experience of the past must be taken into account, and its hard lessons must be brought to the attention of the population with the explanation that such a disaster may happen again. In some countries, the state is buying up land in areas of potential natural disasters and organizing subsidized transfers from hazardous areas. Insurance is essential to reduce losses from natural disasters. In the former USSR, state insurance was established for personal and collective-farm-state-farm property and people's lives against the following natural disasters: earthquakes, floods, lightning strikes, hurricanes, mudflows, snow avalanches, landslides, landslides, droughts, mud flows, rainstorms, hail, early autumn and late spring frosts. Agricultural lands were insured not only against these phenomena, but also against soil silting, hoarfrost, calm weather during the period of pollination of plants; animals in the far north and south of the country were insured against ice, deep snow, snow crust, and low temperatures. The state paid compensation to collective farms and state farms for all types of damage associated with the loss of livestock, crop failure or the destruction of buildings that were caused by natural processes unusual for the area. At present, in Russia, due to the emergence of private insurance companies and changes in the forms of ownership, the principles of insurance are changing. An important role in the prevention of damage from natural disasters belongs to the engineering-geographical zoning of zones of possible natural disasters, as well as the development of building codes and regulations that strictly regulate the type and nature of construction. Quite flexible legislation on economic activity in areas of natural disasters has been developed in various countries. If a natural disaster occurred in a populated area and the population was not evacuated in advance, emergency rescue operations are carried out, followed by repair and restoration.
The 2017 hurricane season was especially devastating for the United States and the Caribbean, bringing two powerful hurricanes at once - Harvey and Irma - which led to numerous deaths and significant damage. In preparation for the arrival of the elements, many residents of endangered areas were definitely thinking about whether there was a way to stop the elements. Scientists and meteorologists all over the world also thought about it.
The invention of the Ukrainian scientist
Professor of the Department of Methods of Teaching Physics and Chemistry of the Rivne State University for the Humanities Viktor Bernatsky back in 2013invented a simple and cheap device, which, according to his calculations, can stop a hurricane of any strength, writes LB.ua.
The invention was presented by a student of the professor at an international conference on hurricane control in the Netherlands, after the report, representatives of the United States and Singapore became interested in the device.
The scientist said that the principle of operation of his device is very simple. The fan system creates air currents that are directed against the currents of the hurricane. The hurricane itself sets the fans in motion.
“That is, the hurricane itself launches the device and extinguishes itself with the same. He doesn't need any extra energy sources. It works at the moment of a hurricane,” Bernatsky said.
According to his calculations, in order to tame a hurricane, it is necessary to place about 100 such devices measuring 1x3 or 2x6 meters along the coastline.
“The cost of one of them is a maximum of a thousand dollars, the device can be made in a day, and if production is established on an industrial scale, then all the necessary quantity will be manufactured within a month,” he explained, adding that his device could prevent billions of dollars of damage. and save human lives.
The Rivne inventor was awarded the gold medal of the European Scientific and Industrial Chamber for this device.
Spraying reagents and calling precipitation
So far, the effectiveness of this device has not been tested and proven, but at the moment meteorologists have other ways to “extinguish” hurricanes, but not very strong ones, writes Komsomolskaya Pravda.
The United States began trying to manage hurricanes as early as the mid-1960s. One of the successful experiments was carried out in 1969 off the coast of Haiti. Tourists and locals saw a huge white cloud, from which large rings diverged. Meteorologists showered the typhoon with silver iodide and managed to turn it away from Haiti to the coast of unfriendly Panama and Nicaragua.
According to Sergey Vasiliev, a weather modeling specialist at St. Petersburg State University, the United States tried to stop Hurricane Katrina, but they failed. Satellite images show that the hurricane changed direction several times and then weakened, then filled with the same power. This, according to the expert, is somewhat unusual - as if someone's hand or something artificial moved him.
The essence of the methods of dealing with hurricanes is the same as with hail and thunderclouds. With the help of special reagents that can cause or, conversely, prevent immediate precipitation. Theoretically, it is known that by seeding the “eye” of a typhoon, its rear or front part with these substances from an aircraft, it is possible, by creating a difference in pressure and temperature, to make it walk “in a circle” or stand still. The problem is that every second you need to take into account many constantly changing factors. A huge amount of reagents is needed.
“Americans seem to be trying to do it in practice. And, of course, they hide their results - this is a matter of national security. And the fact that Katrina nevertheless turned towards New Orleans, although it initially seemed that the elements would pass by, means that scientists could not foresee all the consequences of the experiment. The strange trajectory of the hurricane leads me to such thoughts. But I'm afraid we won't know the truth very soon," Vasilyev said.
Nuclear bomb
People believe that a nuclear bomb is an effective method against bad weather, and on the eve of a hurricane, Americans often write letters to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration asking them to stop the elements in this way, reports Meteoprog.
However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration argues that “this will not even help change the trajectory of the hurricane, and the ejected radioactive fallout will be able to move quite quickly with the help of swirling winds and arrange an environmental disaster on a global scale.
People do not think that a radioactive hurricane is an order of magnitude worse and more destructive than usual. And instead of the usual devastation, much of Texas and Florida would have been frowned upon by a nuclear disaster on par with Chernobyl.
Also, do not forget about the energy of a hurricane, which would increase the power of a nuclear bomb several times. One hurricane on its own releases 1.5 trillion joules of energy thanks to the speed of the wind, and even a 10-megaton nuclear bomb cannot match this.
There is a theory that the destructive power of a hurricane can be reduced by increasing the air pressure in its heart. But, according to NASA, the explosion of a nuclear warhead will not be enough for this.
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