What is a tsunami?
A tsunami is a series of traveling ocean waves of extreme length, generated by rapid changes of the seafloor, mainly caused by earthquakes. Underwater volcanic eruptions and landslides can also generate tsunamis, although these sources are significantly less frequent. As the tsunami crosses the deep ocean, sometimes at speeds exceeding 800 km/h (480 mph), its length from crest to crest may be 100 km (60 miles), but its height in the deep ocean from trough to crest may only be a few tens of centimeters (a few inches or feet), even for a very destructive tsunami. It cannot be felt aboard ships in the open ocean. As the tsunami enters shallow water near coastlines in its path, the velocity of its waves decreases and its wave height increases. It is in these shallow waters that tsunamis become a threat to life and property for they can crest to heights of more than 10 m (30 feet), strike with devastating force, and flood low-lying coastal areas.
by Kevin Caruso Tsunami is a Japanese word in which tsu means harbor and nami means wave. Thus the word means harbor wave. A tsunami is a series of waves of extremely long wavelength that are usually caused by a strong disturbance of the water, such as an underwater earthquake, landslide, or volcanic eruption; a meteorite can also cause a tsunami. The waves travel outward in all directions from the disturbance, similar to what you would see if you threw a rock in a pond. The average wave speed is 450 miles per hour. Tsunami waves differ dramatically from traditional waves in that the tsunami waves have great depth, extending from the ocean floor the to waters surface. The height above the water may be only a few inches, but the huge wave is actually hidden in the water below. Traditional surface waves, such as those you would see at an ocean coastline, are shallow waves; they are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon, sun, and planets, or by wind. Because of the great depth of t
A tsunami (pronounced tsoo-nah-mee) is a wave train, or series of waves, generated in a body of water by an impulsive disturbance that vertically displaces the water column. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, and even the impact of cosmic bodies, such as meteorites, can generate tsunamis. Tsunamis can savagely attack coastlines, causing devastating property damage and loss of life.
The phenomenon we call tsunami is a series of large waves of extremely long wavelength and period usually generated by a violent, impulsive undersea disturbance or activity near the coast or in the ocean. When a sudden displacement of a large volume of water occurs, or if the sea floor is suddenly raised or dropped by an earthquake, big tsunami waves can be formed by forces of gravity. The waves travel out of the area of origin and can be extremely dangerous and damaging when they reach the shore. The word tsunami (pronounced tsoo-nah’-mee) is composed of the Japanese words “tsu” (which means harbor) and “nami” (which means “wave”). Often the term, “seismic or tidal sea wave” is used to describe the same phenomenon, however the terms are misleading, because tsunami waves can be generated by other, non seismic disturbances such as volcanic eruptions or underwater landslides, and have physical characteristics different of tidal waves. The tsunami waves are completely unrelated to the ast
A tsunami is a series of giant sea waves created by shock waves from an underwater earthquake and landslide. The violent shaking of the seabed creates fast-moving waves that radiate outward. Racing toward the coast, waves pile into one another when they reach shallow water and a huge, destructive tsunami is formed. The term tsunami is a Japanese word meaning harbor wave. *See more tsunami questions answered by PMEL Tsunami Scientists.
