Module 5 Flashcards
CAN YOU DIG IT?
By the end of this unit, you are expected to be able to:
Describe how waves such as tsunami are classified
Compare and contrast wind-generated waves with tsunami waves
Explain how earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and other events trigger tsunami
Describe how tsunami waves propagate in the deep ocean including how bathymetry may affect them
Discuss how shoaling and coastal topography affect inundation and run-up at specific locations
Describe how tsunami waves arrive onshore and a hazard associated with drawdown
Tsunami
A series of shallow water waves generated by the sudden displacement of a large body of water, usually an ocean but may occur in seas, bays, lakes, rivers, fjords
Not “tidal waves” which would imply tsunami are related to the tides of the Earth
Not “seismic waves” as tsunami may be triggered by other mechanisms
A wave may be classified into a particular type based on its: 3
- Wavelength
- the distance between two identical points on a wave (e.g. between wave crests or troughs)
2.Period
refers to the time between two successive waves at a stationary point
3.Cause:literally what caused it
Wavelength
Height
Amplitude
Period
Celerity
Wavelength: the distance between two identical points on a wave (e.g. between wave crests or troughs)
Height: measured from the base of the trough to the crest of the wave
Amplitude: the height of the wave measured from the still water level line (equal to ½ the wave height)
Period: refers to the time between two successive waves at a stationary point
Celerity refers to the speed at which the wave travels (dependent on water depth)
Wind Generated Waves vs. Tsunami Waves
In the deep ocean, wind-generated waves have greater wave heights (3m) and slower velocities (16-32km/hr) than tsunami waves (
How are tsunamis normally triggered?
Name 3 other possible causes
Tsunami are most commonly generated by underwater shallow-focus earthquakes which cause the rise and fall of the ocean floor
This movement triggers the displacement of large bodies of water which travel as a series of waves thousands of kilometers from their source
In addition to earthquakes tsunami may be triggered by:
Landslides, submarine slumps, rock falls, and avalanches
Explosive volcanic eruptions or flank collapses
Human-caused explosions
Meteorite impacts
Why would a strike slip fault not cause a tsunami?
You need vertical displacement of crust to cause Tsunami, so Strike-slip doe not work(not completely sure this is right)
There are 4 important stages to consider from the time the tsunami is generated to its arrival on land:
Generation: the upward or downward movement of the ocean floor produces waves that spread outward from the source
Propagation: the waves spread out in all directions from the point of initiation
-tsunami moves rapidy in deep ocean with wave height of under a metre
Inundation: how tsunami waves behave as they approach land and inundate coastlines
-tsunami slows as it reaches shallower waters and wave height is squeezed upwards
Aftermath: how tsunami waves behave on land including risk factors and mitigation strategies
Describe how a tsunami is created by a stick-slip
This is common around ring of fire:
1.build up of strain
2.coastal bulge
- stuck area ruptures during earthquake releasing land upwards
- vertical change
4.Tsunami formed
The size of tsunami waves thus depends on the following factors: 6
Magnitude of the shallow-focus earthquake (M7 and above)
Area of the rupture zone
Rate and volume of water that is displaced
Depth of water above the rupture
Nature of motion of the ocean floor
Vertical offset or displacement of the fault
T OR F
The size of tsunami waves is related to the size of the earthquake, with larger tsunami generated by larger earthquakes
T
Celerity
propogation
Celerity refers to the velocity of wave propagation
Tsunami waves have been known to travel across the Indian Ocean in less than one day (e.g. Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004)
Propagation refers to any of the ways in which waves travel
From a hazards perspective we are most interested in understanding how fast and how far tsunami waves travel so we can anticipate impact on coastlines
-Wave directions may change as the waves reflect or diffract in response to the topography
-The rate at which waves lose their energy is inversely related to their wavelength
Since tsunami waves have very large wavelengths, they will lose little energy as they propagate across the ocean
Describe Inundation and give both types
Inundation refers to how tsunami waves behave as they approach land and inundate coastlines
Tsunami hazard is evaluated by maximum wave run-up which may be measured as:
- Inundation: refers to the horizontal distance that the waves flood inland
- Run-up: refers to the vertical inundation or the height of the incoming waves
Inundation and run up are affected by two things
Inundation and run-up are affected by:
1.Shoaling: amplitude and height of the waves increase as the waves reach the shoreline
2.Coastal/Bathymetric Topography: this includes factors such as:
variations in elevation as the tsunami moves from deep ocean to shore
interaction of tsunami waves with steep coastlines (reflection)
diffraction that occurs around reefs, and other barriers
the period of a bay, basin, inlet, or harbor (resonance; interference)
interference of wave patterns as tsunami waves interact with edge waves and each other
Shoaling
Shoaling: amplitude and height of the waves increase as the waves reach the shoreline
There are 4 types of behaviour when waves interact with coastal or bathymetric topography:
- Reflection- depends on the shape of the coastline and the presence/absence of barriers
- Refraction- as waves move from deep to shallow water their velocity and wavelength decrease, wave height increases and the direction of wave motion changes
- Diffraction- occurs when the waves encounter a barrier; the waves bend and change direction as they travel around the barrier
- Interference- occurs when two waves interact with each other, forming new wave patterns (also causes resonance)
occurs when two waves interact with each other, forming new wave patterns
-causes two things
resonance and interference
MOST OFTEN WAVES APPROACH SHORES ________
OBLIQUELY
“After Refraction”: when one wave hits another called ___________ INTERFERENCE
CONSTRUCTIVE
- if trough hits another trough of another wave the trough deepens
- if crest hits crest the crest increases(I think)
Some locations along the coast are prone to more inundation or run-up than others (Bryant, 2008): 5
- exposed ocean or barrier beaches (inundation)
- cleared land for agriculture or development (smooth topography) (inundation)
- river deltas (run-up)
- headlands (run-up)
- bays and harbors (resonance)