GEOS 218 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Vulcanian Eruption, Lake Nyos, Dacite
Document Summary
Tsunamis and then ripples out into huge waves. Form when two plates subduct under another (earthquake), and the stress bounces vertically. Waves will slow when they approach shore, but traveling about 500 mph in open ocean. Energy is distributed from surface to sea floor. Reaches greatest heights when it reaches a narrow space or harbor; 1 meter wave in deep water becomes 8 meters in shallow. Series of waves separated by 10 to 60 min. ***most destructive powers from momentum and long wavelength. A section of a coastline where there is a harbor and the bottom of the ocean bottom dips steeply. ***the pacific ocean has an average depth of about 5,500 meters, which yields a theoretical deep- ocean tsunami velocity of about _________ meters per second. Velocity=(g times depth) g: acceleration due to gravity. The juan de fuca plate is subducting under the north american plate.
