Exam 3 Flashcards
What does Tsu mean?
Harbor
What does Nami mean?
Wave
What are tsunamis not?
confined to harbors and are not created by tides
How are tsunamis created?
undersea earthquakes, landslides or volcanic activity
How does energy travel in tsunamis?
Outward (like ripples that spread when a rock is thrown into a pond)
What are two of the most recent devastating tsunamis?
Indian Ocean Tsunami (12/26/04) Japan Tsunami (3/11/11)
What is the wave height on shore of a tsunami called?
“run-up”
What happens as a tsunami travels?
can bend and their speed can change due to the shape of the basin
How fast can a tsunami move in the deep ocean?
about 400 mph
What is the average wavelength of a tsunami?
125
How does a tsunami travel?
like a shallow water wave
When the front of a tsunami wave slows down, what happens?
the back of the wave “piles up” to a tremendous height
What is the approximate interval of crests and troughs of a tsunami wave?
about 15 minutes
About how tall can a tsunami wave get?
30 meters (98 feet) or higher
What determines the height of the tsunami on shore?
coastline shape and distance from the triggering event (earthquake)
What is the objective of the Tsunami Warning System?
predict the intensity and time of arrival of tsunami generated by earthquakes
What measures sea level changes as a tsunami passes over?
Anchored instruments, buoys that sense the period and wavelengths of waves in mid-ocean
Where do Tsunami’s typically occur?
near the Pacific ocean
What are giant heaps of trash that collect on the west coast of North America called?
Garbage Islands
Up until 1990 how much did the Global Sea Level rise per year?
2 mm/year
Currently, how much does the GSL rise each year?
3 mm/year
How much as the GSL risen over the last 7000 years?
9 meters
What affects the GSL?
ice on the continents, sea floor spreading rates, and global warming or cooling
Why are future projects for GSL threatening?
a large population of the world lives within 2 meters of the sea level currently and it could cause major coastal cities to be destroyed (Miami, New Orleans, Norfolk)