Tsunami Science

This book discusses the science behind tsunamis. The chapters describe destructive tsunamis and their aftermath, explain why tsunamis occur, and explore scientists' efforts to predict these disasters. Diagrams, charts, and photos provide opportunities to evaluate and understand the scientific concepts involved.

Earthquake-tsunamis, including the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2011 Tōhoku Tsunami in Japan, serve as tragic reminders that such waves pose a major natural hazard. Landslide-tsunamis, including the 1958 Lituya Bay case, may exceed 150 m in height, and similar waves generated in lakes and reservoirs may overtop dams and cause significant devastation. This book includes nine peer-review articles from some of the leading experts in the field of tsunami research. The collection represents a wide range of topics covering (i) wave generation, (ii) wave propagation, and (iii) their effects. Within (i), a tsunami source combining an underwater fault rupture and a landslide are addressed in the laboratory. Within (ii), frequency dispersion with the nonlinear shallow-water equations is considered and a detailed account of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, tsunami, and fire in downtown Lisbon is presented. Two articles involve all three phases (i) to (iii), including runup and dam over-topping. Within (iii), a new semi-empirical equation for runup is introduced and the interaction of tsunamis with bridges and pipelines is investigated in large laboratory experiments. This state-of-the-art collection of articles is expected to improve modelling and mitigate the destructive effects of tsunamis and inspire many future research activities in this challenging and exciting research field.

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was triggered by a 9. 15 magnitude earthquake (MELTZNER et al. , 2006; CHLIEH et al. , 2007) that occurred at 0:58:53 GMT, 7:58:53 LT (USGS) (t ). The epicenter was located at 3. 3 N, 95. 8 E (Fig. 1) with a focal depth of EQ approximately 30 km. The earthquake was responsible for a sudden fault slip estimated on average from 12–15 m (SYNOLAKIS et al. , 2005; LAY et al. , 2005) to 20 m (FU and SUN, 30 2006). The seismic moment estimate (Mo = 1. 3 5 9 10 dyne-cm), based on the Figure 1 Locations of video recordings, recovered clocks, and reliable eyewitness observations. 1: Coastal plains ?ooded by the tsunami; 2: non-?ooded coastal plains; 3: uplands. Insert 3D-map showing the Sumatra Island, the studied area, and the epicenter of the 26/12/2004 earthquake. The video taken at Uteuen Badeue, on the eastern edge of the Banda Aceh Bay, was recorded by the chief of the Fishery Regional Of?ce from the top of a cliff. The movie that was shot near the Baiturrahman mosque in downtown Banda Aceh has been shown worldwide on TV. The one at Peukan Bada has been recorded during a wedding party. The last two movies were analyzed in detail in order to calculate the tsunami velocity (FRITZ et al. , 2006). Vol.

Tsunamis can involve waves that move as fast as passenger jets and grow to heights taller than skyscrapers. As astonishing as these huge waves might be, they’re also a deadly phenomenon happening more often around the world. Readers will encounter some of the most destructive tsunamis of all time while they explore the science behind these occurrences. An explanation of plate tectonics and wave formations are a few of the exciting science concepts that readers are introduced to through real-life examples and lots of surprising facts. Full-color photographs and detailed illustrations will guide readers through one of nature’s scariest disasters, while highlighting the populations tsunamis have affected—and those they will affect in the future.

Tsunami science has evolved significantly since the occurrence of two of the most destructive natural disasters in recent times: the 26 December 2004 Sumatra tsunami that killed about 230,000 people along the coasts of 14 countries in the Indian Ocean and the 11 March 2011 Tohoku (Great East Japan) tsunami that killed almost 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. As a result of these and many other destructive tsunamis that have occurred over just the last decade, scientists from around the world have come together to engage in tsunami research. The global community of researchers has also expanded by discipline, adapting advances in other sciences to study all aspects of tsunami hydrodynamics, detection, generation, and probability of occurrence. The papers presented in this first of two topical volumes of Pure and Applied Geophysics reflect the state of tsunami science during this time. Nine papers examine various aspects of tsunami hazard and risk assessment. Five papers present new methods for tsunami warning and detection and six other papers describe new methods for understanding tsunami hydrodynamics. The final five papers of the volume describe tsunamis generated by non-seismic sources and important case studies. Collectively, this volume highlights contemporary trends in global tsunami science, both fundamental and applied toward hazard assessment and mitigation. The volume is of interest to scientists and practitioners involved in all aspects of tsunamis from source processes to coastal impacts. Postgraduate students in geophysics, oceanography and coastal engineering – as well as students in the broader geosciences, civil and environmental engineering – will also find the book to be a valuable resource, as it combines recent case studies with advances in tsunami science and natural hazards mitigation.