Tsunami Notes

- What is a tsunami?
o A tsunami is a long ocean wave generated by sudden displacement of the sea floor or
oceanic mass
o The displacement of an equivalent volume of water generates the tsunami
o The term tsunami is Japanese for harbor wave
o Frequently called a tidal wave but has nothing to do with tides what so ever
- Hazards and Risks
o Tsunamis can hit with little to no warning
o 4,000 people have been killed from 1990 to 2000
o The most dangerous areas are those associated with earthquakes and volcanoes
- Locally-generated tsunamis
o The subduction zone of Cascadia has the chance of large offshore quakes
o This causes risk for a local tsunami
- Structure of a wave
o Wavelength can exceed 200 km
o Normal ocean waves have wavelengths about 100 m
o Trough, peak, wave height, and amplitude
- Velocities in Deep Water
o Tsunamis travel very quickly relative to normal waves
o Velocities can reach 1000 km/h
- Shallow Water
o In shallow water, the tsunami waves pile up
o As a result, velocities and wavelengths decrease but amplitudes can increase
enormously
- Arrival on the coast
o The wave will break 1/7 of its wave length
o Some waves may not actually break
o Initially, there may be rapid rise and falls of sea levels
o Due to long wavelengths, it may take a long time for the wave to crest
- Wave Runup
o Depends on water depth, sea floor profile, and shape of coastline
- Things that cause tsunamis
o Earthquakes
o Volcanic Activity
o Landslides
o Meteorite Impacts
- Damage due to tsunamis
o Waves often full of debris
o As the wave recedes, the debris drags more stuff with it
o Can recede as much as a km out to sea, leaving shoreline empty with things like flopping
fish and boats
- Detecting a tsunami
Tsunami Notes
o Pressure recorder on the bottom of the ocean
o Buoy to communicate reading via satellite
o Tsunami warning centers issue warning