Why did the earthquake
cause a tsunami?
Shallow
focus
earthquake
Largevolume of
oceanic crust
displaced
Themovement of
the crust also
displaces a large
volume of water
Tsunami
One wave
moves toward
the shoreline,
another
travels into
the open
Tsunami
As the waves reach
shore, speed is
reduced
Height is increased
Tsunami at
the
shoreline
Not a gigantic
version of
breaking wave
Very rapidly
rising tide,
rushing inland
Sometimes water
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Period
A series of waves may arrive
every 10-60 minutes
Tsunami
Shallow water waves because as they travel across
the ocean and drag on the bottom (up to 18,000
feet)
On the ocean’s surface, the wave is barely
detectable (3 feet high)
Wind versus tsunami wave
• Wind waves
– Single wave is entire
water mass
– Velocity depends on
period of wave
• 17 mph for 5-second
wave; 70 mph for 20-
second wave
• Tsunami
– Huge mass of water
with tremendous
momentum
Velocity
Increase in velocity with
an increase in depth
– Velocity: v = (g x D) ½
• g – acceleration due to
gravity; D – depth of
water
• For average D = 5,500
m, v = 232 m/sec (518
mph)
• Actual observations of
tsunami speed peak at
420 to 480 mph
• Wave will slow as
approaches shore, but
still fast
Tsunami: velocity
Related to depth of ocean water
Pacific Ocean: average depth 18,000 feet
Velocities in the open ocean: >500 mph
Model of Cascadia 1700 tsunami
Tsunami, Japan, 2011
90 feet high
Up to 2.5 miles of
inundation
8-10 minute warning
Village of Minamisanriku, where
up to 10,000 people—60 percent
of its population—are now
missing, according to the
Telegraph.
44 miles south of Sendai
Town of Yagawahama
Sendai Airport
Japan, 2011 tsunami
Billions of dollars
spent
40% of Japan’s
coastline contains up
to 39’ high walls
Tsunami destroyed
6 feet- wood
structures
12 feet- concrete
destroyed Gates close seconds after
earthquake
70 feet-everything
What to
do
during
Insert table 5.4
Japan’s tsunami warning
system
Deep-0cean Assessment and
Reporting of Tsunami: DART
Goal is to reduce the
loss of life and
property
Eliminate false
alarms
Stations are
positioned in regions
that traditionally
produce tsunamis
Deep-0cean Assessment
Tsunami-harbor wave and Reporting
of Tsunami: DART
Seafloorpressure
recording system
Anacoustic link is
used to transmit
data from the
pressure recording
system
Thedata is relayed
via satellite
DART Locations
DART II
Tsunami
Formed when a large volume of water is displaced
When offshore, one set of waves moves onshore and
another offshore
Waves arrive in a series in a shorter amount of time closer
to the epicenter
Waves increase velocity with depth of ocean
As wave approaches the shoreline:
the energy orbital collapses,
friction increases along the ocean bottom,
wave slows but energy is the same and drives the water
onshore
Topography of shoreline influences height of surge
