GEOL 106 Lecture 6: GEOL106 Week 6 - Tsunami

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering
• Course: GEOL 106
• Professor: Treena Bron

Document Summary

Series of large waves: generated by displacement from megathrust fault. In open water amplitude is less than 1 meter and the wavelength can be larger than 700 meters: close to shore, the water piles up and some tsunamis can exceed 30 meters in heights but decrease in speed. Three mechanisms for generating tsunamis: huge earthquakes, slop failures in to water (landslides, meteorite impact. Japanese word for harbour wave: caused by sudden displacement of water. Triggered by: earthquakes, underwater landslides, volcano flank collapse, submarine volcanic eruption, asteroids. Run-up, furthest horizontal and vertical distance of the largest wave: water returns to ocean in strong, turbulent flow, edge wave may be generated parallel to the shore, second and third waves may be amplified. Offshore earthquakes can cause tsunamis to head towards land or sea: uplifted dome can split into two waves. Distant tsunami: travel out to sea, long distances with little loss of energy.