 |
|
Tonga quake not conducive to tsunami
March 13, 2007Seismologists at Washington University in St. Louis and their colleagues in Australia, Japan and Tonga have determined why a large earthquake in Tonga did not cause a large tsunami. A tsunami warning was issued around the Pacific Rim following the magnitude 8.0 earthquake on May 3, 2006, but the resulting tsunami was very minor and caused no damage.
Tsunamis generally result from shallow-thrust earthquakes, which occur when the seafloor is pushed downward beneath the land in places like Japan, Chile, Indonesia and Mexico. The researchers found instead that this earthquake was slab-tearing event — a rupturing of the down-going seafloor beneath Tonga. This explains why the tsunami was smaller than expected, and suggests that large earthquakes in Tonga may typically be of the slab-tearing variety, consistent with the lack of large historical tsunamis in Tonga.
Douglas A. Wiens, Ph.D., Washington University professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences, and his collaborators quickly assembled their equipment and deployed seven stations to record the aftershocks some 60 kilometers beneath the surface. Washington University technical scientist Patrick Shore and graduate student David Heeszel, along with Australian and Tongan co-workers, installed the seismographs. Shore and Heeszel sailed on a small ship for several days to deploy the seismographs on a group of islands near Ha'apai, Tonga.
"A shallow-thrust earthquake's main shock would have been shallower than what we found," Wiens said. "Because that part of the world does not want a repeat of the Sumatra experience, we wanted to determine the nature of the earthquake. Our Washington University group has done extensive analyses of Tongan earthquakes, so other researchers and the National Science Foundation got in touch quickly and we had equipment installed in early June."
"The Sumatra earthquake surprised a lot of people, and the size of the Tongan one also surprised us, so we wanted to make sure there was not a tsunami hazard in the region. If all the large earthquakes are of the slab-tearing variety like the May 2006 event, it doesn't appear that there is one."
Heeszel and Wiens presented their results at the Winter Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, held Dec. 10-15, 2006 in San Francisco. The research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Washington University in St. Louis
"A shallow-thrust earthquake's main shock would have been shallower than what we found," Wiens said. "Because that part of the world does not want a repeat of the Sumatra experience, we wanted to determine the nature of the earthquake. Our Washington University group has done extensive analyses of Tongan earthquakes, so other researchers and the National Science Foundation got in touch quickly and we had equipment installed in early June."
"The Sumatra earthquake surprised a lot of people, and the size of the Tongan one also surprised us, so we wanted to make sure there was not a tsunami hazard in the region. If all the large earthquakes are of the slab-tearing variety like the May 2006 event, it doesn't appear that there is one."
Heeszel and Wiens presented their results at the Winter Meeting of the American Geophysical Union, held Dec. 10-15, 2006 in San Francisco. The research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
Washington University in St. Louis
Tsunami Current Events and Tsunami News RSSOn the crest of wave energy
The ocean is a potentially vast source of electric power, yet as engineers test new technologies for capturing it, the devices are plagued by battering storms, limited efficiency, and the need to be tethered to the seafloor.
Fortuitous research provides first detailed documentation of tsunami erosion
Tsunamis are among the most-devastating natural calamities. These earthquake-generated waves can quickly engulf low-lying land and bring widespread destruction and death. They can deposit sand and debris far inland from where they came ashore.
Tsunami waves reasonably likely to strike Israel
"There is a likely chance of tsunami waves reaching the shores of Israel," says Dr. Beverly Goodman of the Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa following an encompassing geo-archaeological study at the port of Caesarea. "Tsunami events in the Mediterranean do occur less frequently than in the Pacific Ocean, but our findings reveal a moderate rate of recurrence," she says.
Tsunami evacuation buildings: another way to save lives in the Pacific Northwest
Some time soon, a powerful earthquake will trigger a massive tsunami that will flood the Pacific Northwest, destroying homes and threatening the lives of tens of thousands of people, says Yumei Wang, a geotechnical engineer at the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries in Portland.
New publication offers security tips for WiMAX networks
Government agencies and other organizations planning to use WiMAX- Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access-networks can get technical advice on improving the security of their systems from a draft computer security guide prepared by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Scientists return from first ever riser drilling operations in seismogenic zone
he Deep-sea Drilling Vessel CHIKYU successfully completed riser drilling operations on Aug. 31, for IODP Expedition 319, Stage 2 of the Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment (NanTroSEIZE).
Ocean-drilling expedition cites new evidence related to origin and evolution of seismogenic faults
New research about what triggers earthquakes, authored by Michael Strasser of Bremen University, Germany, with colleagues from the USA, Japan, China, France, and Germany, will appear in the Aug. 16 2009 issue of Nature Geoscience.
A new cloaking method
University of Utah mathematicians developed a new cloaking method, and it's unlikely to lead to invisibility cloaks like those used by Harry Potter or Romulan spaceships in "Star Trek." Instead, the new method someday might shield submarines from sonar, planes from radar, buildings from earthquakes, and oil rigs and coastal structures from tsunamis.
Pacific tsunami threat greater than expected
The potential for a huge Pacific Ocean tsunami on the West Coast of America may be greater than previously thought, according to a new study of geological evidence along the Gulf of Alaska coast.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Expansion of coastal cities is accompanied by a decline in the quality of life of the people, which was the reason they moved to the coastal zone instead of bringing growing welfare to the inhabitants.
More Tsunami Current Events and Tsunami News Articles
 |
National Geographic - Tsunami: Killer Wave Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 05/24/2005 Run time: 52 minutes Rating: Nr |
 |
Tsunami! by Kimiko Kajikawa (Author), Ed Young (Illustrator) Ojiisan, the oldest and wealthiest man in the village, doesn’t join the others at the rice ceremony. Instead he watches from his balcony. He feels something is coming—something he can’t describe. When he sees the monster wave pulling away from the beach, he knows. Tsunami! But the villagers below can’t see the danger. Will Ojiisan risk everything he has to save them? Can he? Illustrated in stunning collage by Caldecott winner Ed Young, here is the unforgettable story of how one man’s simple sacrifi ce saved hundreds of lives. An extraordinary celebration of both the power of nature and the power each of us holds within. |
 |
Tsunami - The Aftermath Starring: Tim Roth, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Hugh Bonneville, Gina McKee Directed By: Bharat Nalluri Also With: Abi Morgan (Producer), Abi Morgan (Writer), Charles Hubbard (Producer), Colin Callender (Producer), Derek Wax (Producer), Finola Dwyer (Producer), Jane Featherstone (Producer) A tale of personal loss, survival and hope, this HBO mini-series focuses on the harrowing aftermath of the tsunami that devastated the coast of Thailand on December 26, 2004. Filmed on location in Thailand, Tsunami, The Aftermath follows a group of characters whose lives are irrevocably transformed by the cataclysmic natural disaster. Among those whose stories are followed are: a young couple searching for their child; a Thai survivor who loses his family and tries to prevent developers from seizing the land his village is built on; an Englishwoman whose husband and son are missing; an ambitious reporter; a relief worker; an overwhelmed British official whose faith in the system is torn apart; and a leading Thai meteorologist, whose earlier report detailing the inevitability of a tsunami... |
 |
Tsunami Design Protective Skin Decal Sticker for Apple iPhone (2G) by MyGift This scatch resistant Skin Sticker helps to protect your Apple iPhone (2G) while making an impression. Self-adhesive plastic-coated skins cover the front and back of the phone and are custom cut to perfectly fit the Apple iPhone (2G). Skins are paper-thin so they do not add any bulk. They're like stickers, easy to apply (no bubbles), durable and easily removable without any residue. (Note: Due to differences in monitors, color may vary from photo.) NOT compatible with Apple iPhone 3G. |
 |
The Heart's Tremolo by Tsunami |
 |
Tsunami 2004 - Waves of Death The earthquake measured 9.3 on the Richter scale, the second strongest ever recorded. But what came afterwards was worse. The 2004 Tsunami was one of the worst natural disasters in history, killing some 200,000 people in 14 countries. WAVES OF DEATH is a minute-by-minute look at nature's fury at its worst. This captivating special examines the tsunami as it moves from coast to coast through the eyes of people who lived through it and scientists now studying its path of devastation. Drawing on the extraordinary volume of amateur video that recorded the event, TSUNAMI 2004 draws viewers inside a disaster so great that recovery will take years--if not decades. This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply. |
 |
Magic Tree House Research Guide #15: Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters: A Nonfiction Companion to High Tide in Hawaii (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) by Mary Pope Osborne (Author), Natalie Pope Boyce (Author), Sal Murdocca (Illustrator) What are the warning signs that a tsunami is on the way? Can scientists predict earthquakes? How do volcanoes form? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters, Jack and Annie's guide to geological disasters. This is the nonfiction companion to High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House #28). |
 |
Tsunami: The Wave that Shook the World Starring: Nova |
 |
Metra Tsunami - Battery terminals (pack of 2 ) by METRA Ltd Marketing description is not available. |
 |
O'Neill Junior's "Tsunami" Raglan Sleeve Top,Heather Grey,Medium by O'Neill |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |