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Lecture10 Tsunamis
Lecture10 Tsunamis
Lecture10 Tsunamis
Tsunamis
1
What is a tsunami?
It was only after the massive Lisbon earthquake of 1755 that the
English scientist John Michell demonstrated that tsunamis are, in fact,
caused by underwater earthquakes. He was able to show that
tsunamis consist of very long waves that travel fastest in deep water,
which is why, after the Lisbon quake, they hit the Caribbean before
some parts of Northern Europe.
2
What is a tsunami?
soo-NAH-mee or Harbor Wave is a Japanese word: tsu means harbor & nami means wave
10 Feet
300 Feet
4
Tsunami in deep ocean
1-2 Feet
316,800 Feet
5
Tsunami while approaching shore
10-100+ Feet
6
Earthquake Destruction: Tsunami
7
Earthquake Destruction: Tsunami
8
Earthquake Destruction: Tsunamis
Tsunamis can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically
displaces the overlying water.
The water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position.
Waves are formed as the displaced water mass, which acts under the influence of
gravity, attempts to regain its equilibrium.
Tsunami travels at a speed that is related to the water depth - hence, as the water
depth decreases, the tsunami slows.
The tsunami's energy flux, which is dependent on both its wave speed and wave
height, remains nearly constant.
Consequently, as the tsunami's speed diminishes as it travels into shallower
water, its height grows. Because of this effect, a tsunami, imperceptible at sea,
may grow to be several meters or more in height near the coast and can flood a
vast area.
9
Earthquake Destruction: Tsunamis
10
Cycle of events in Tsunami
Underlying
Geological
Event Water
Displaced
Detection
Tidal
Surge
Opportunities
Wave
Propagation
Tidal
Withdraw
11
Why is tsunami so destructive?
Speed of the tsunami v = [gd]
g = acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/sec2)
d = depth of ocean (m)
12
How is tsunami formed?
13
Tsunami prone locations
Scotland 7000y
Japan 1792
Grand & 1993
Banks
Alaska 1929 Turkey 1999
1964 Lisbon
1755
PNG 1998
Chile 1960
Indonesia
Pacific Atlantic
1992, 1995
400 tsunami in 2% recorded
last 100 years tsunami
14
Earthquake & Tsunami
South Asia, 26 Dec 2004
15
Earthquake & Tsunami: South Asia, 26 Dec 2004
Ocean
16
Earthquake & Tsunami: South Asia, 26 Dec 2004
Source: wikipedia 17
Tsunami Waves: Height & Travel time
Height:
• 10 m: Coastline of
Sumatra, near the
fault boundary
• 4 m: Sri Lanka,
Thailand, Somalia
& Seychelles
Travel times:
From minutes (Sumatra)
to 8 hours (Somalia)
Source: wikipedia 18
The Most Affected Area by the Tsunami
NW coast of Sumatra, Aceh province,
Indonesia
Waves height:
15 m. (50 ft.)
80,000 death
(1/2 of total)
Dead:139.290
Injured:32,327
Missed:14,950
Displaced: 1,754,433
Source: WHO 20
Earthquake & Tsunami
Thoku, Japan, 11 March 2011
21
Tsunami of Japan, 2011
Part of houses
swallowed by tsunami
burn in Sendai, Miyagi
Prefecture (state) after
Japan was struck by a
strong earthquake off its
northeastern coast
Friday, March 11, 2011.
22
Tsunami of Japan, 2011
The houses and cars in
Northern Japan were swept
away by the tsunami waves.
The tsunami waves traveled far
inland, the wave of debris
racing across the farmland,
carrying boats and houses with
it.
The tsunami, seen crashing into
homes in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. AP
24
Tsunami Warning Systems
Tsunami monitoring systems have been strategically deployed near regions with a
history of tsunami generation, to ensure measurement of the waves as they propagate
towards coastal communities and to acquire data critical to real-time forecasts.
25
Tsunami Warning System: Principle
The basic principle of the system for detecting and warning against tsunamis
comes in two stages.
Firstly, sensors in the ocean detect seismic activity. Increases in seismic activity are
the main cause of a tsunami and as such, signs of a earthquake at sea can be the
beginning of a tsunami.
These initial detectors are supplemented by buoys, round floating plastic objects
in the sea, and tide gauges which record an increase in the sea-level. When both
of these factors match, it is clear that a tsunami is imminent.
Generally, the entire process is automated and it can be as little as two minutes
before the seismic sensors detecting movement and a message being relayed
through computers and an alert system is activated. This includes sirens being
sounded throughout the coastal towns and villages that are likely to be affected.
26
Tsunami Warning System: Principle
Satellite
Surface Buoy
Hydrophone
Acoustic Link
5,000 M
Tsunami
Detector
Anchor 27
References