DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Health & Science

Indonesian researchers read Aceh tsunami traces using laser technology

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Indonesian researchers used Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze Aceh tsunami sediment.
  • The technology identified chemical characteristics of tsunami deposits more comprehensively than conventional methods.
  • Findings aid in tsunami hazard mapping, coastal spatial planning, and disaster mitigation strategies.

Indonesian researchers have employed advanced laser technology to uncover the lingering traces of the devastating 2004 Aceh tsunami within soil layers. Scientists at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) utilized Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze sediment, revealing chemical signatures of the tsunami deposits with unprecedented detail.

The data can serve as a basis for developing tsunami hazard maps, planning coastal spatial arrangements, and creating better disaster mitigation strategies.

— Rara MitaphonnaRara Mitaphonna, junior expert researcher at BRIN's Photonics Research Center, explaining the practical applications of the research findings.

This innovative approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of past tsunami events compared to traditional geochemical analysis. Rara Mitaphonna, a junior expert researcher at BRIN's Photonics Research Center, explained that the LIBS technology is a crucial part of disaster mitigation efforts. By identifying the location, thickness, and chemical properties of ancient tsunami deposits, scientists can reconstruct the wave's reach, estimate its energy, and pinpoint vulnerable areas.

"This data can serve as a basis for developing tsunami hazard maps, planning coastal spatial arrangements, and creating better disaster mitigation strategies," Rara stated. The 2004 tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake, left behind distinct sediment layers along the coast, composed of beach sand, salt, marine organisms, minerals, and organic material.

Through the light emitted by the plasma, we can identify the chemical elements present in each sediment layer.

— RaraRara Mitaphonna describing how the LIBS technology works to identify chemical compositions.

Over time, these layers become buried and difficult to distinguish. The LIBS technique works by firing a high-energy laser pulse at a soil sample, creating a high-temperature plasma that emits light. Analyzing this light allows researchers to identify the chemical elements present in the sediment, akin to recognizing unique fingerprints. This method allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple elements without the lengthy sample preparation required by conventional chemical analysis.

Each element has a unique light spectrum that can be recognized like a fingerprint.

— RaraRara Mitaphonna explaining the principle behind LIBS spectral analysis.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog