December 26, 2004, 7:58 a.m. North Sumatra, Indonesia. A cool breeze blows in from the Indian Ocean. The city streets are filled with morning traffic. Stores and shops open their doors as people get ready for the day to begin. Unaware of the danger that lurks in the nearby ocean, the residents of Sumatra go about their daily lives.

Halfway around the world in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Vasily Titov is finishing his dinner. Checking the incoming message on his beeper, he grabs his jacket and runs out the door. Racing through the city, he knows he must act quickly. With no time to lose, he weaves through traffic while completing some preliminary calculations in his head.

Two hours after an earthquake has rocked the Indian Ocean, he sits down at his computer. As he analyzes the incoming data, an image representing a 1,600 km-long (1,000 mi) tsunami screams across his screen as his simulation begins. By 4:30 a.m. in Seattle, his simulation has run its course, but many shores along the Indian Ocean are already devastated.

These are true events. Although the final death toll still remains unknown, many believe that the tsunami killed over 300,000 people in the Indian Ocean basin. The impact of this single event has been a major force in accelerating the implementation of a tsunami forecasting system. Dr. Vasily Titov and his team of researchers are at the forefront of this effort. Stationed at Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in Seattle, these scientists monitor data from an international network of 46 Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART®) buoys. Positioned in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, these buoys transmit real-time data that can be used to forecast incoming tsunamis before they strike.

Mission 2 Briefing Video Prepare for your mission by viewing this briefing on your objectives. Learn how Dr. Vasily Titov uses his knowledge of energy transfer and transformation to help save lives and protect property.