12: Hazards Flashcards
What are the two main things used to measure and event’s extremity?
Magnitude and frequency
What differentiates tsunamis from normal waves?
They are impulsively generated not tidally generated
What wavelengths can tsunamis reach?
> 500km
What can intervals between tsunamis reach?
10 minutes to 2 hours
What is the potential speed of tsunamis?
700-900km/h
What are 6 causes of tsunamis?
Earthquakes, landslides, submarine slides, turbidity currents, volcanic eruptions, nuclear tests and asteroids
What are near and far field causes of tsunamis?
Far field means they are generated further away from the point of impact whereas near field is more local
What differentiates far and near field causes of tsunamis in terms of detection?
Far field tsunamis are more likely to be detected before they strike as they will pass lots of monitoring stations before. Near field however are less detectable prior to impact and so are more likely to have more damaging impacts as well as they will retain more of their initial energy
What happens to tsunamis in shallow water?
Speed decreases and height increases
Where are tsunamis barely detectable and why?
Middle of the ocean - because their wavelengths are so long that they can be spread out over such a broad area
What might happen at the coast/beach just before a tsunami strikes
It may seem like the tide is rapidly falling then rising again as the wave approaches
What may the runup of tsunamis exceed as they approach the coastline?
30m
What % of tsunamis are classed as ‘catastrophic’?
10%
How many tsunamis occur on average in the Pacific?
5
What is the classed risk of Australia to cyclone?
‘moderate’
What are the two things that can be do towards preparing for tsunamis and mitigating their potential impact?
Monitoring and warning centres
Give an example of a warning centre
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre or Australian Tsunami Warning System
Give an example of a tsunami monitoring body?
Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART)
What potential evidence is there of past tsunamis occurring in NSW?
Boulders collected on top of a 25m platform in Jervis Bay
Who claimed the boulders on top of a platform in Jervis Bay was a product of a tsunami and who disagreed and why?
Ted Bryant and Bob Young proposed the boulders were carried by tsunami. However Switzer and Burston (2010) stated that thsi is unjustified and currently there is no adequate evidence to truly supportt this claim