What is the “wrap-around” effect?
Whether a tsunami is generated in the North or South Pacific, it has the potential to affect all shores of the Hawaiian Islands. As large tsunami waves approach the islands, they may refract or bend around the islands and diffract through the channels between the islands as well. The ability of a tsunami wave to bend around and through the islands is called the wrap-around effect. During the wrap-around effect, the energy of the tsunami often decreases resulting in smaller wave heights. Sometimes tsunami waves will reflect off of a land mass instead of bending around, thereby increasing wave height of the approaching wave. Therefore, whether a tsunami warning is issued from an earthquake in Chile, Alaska, or Japan, inhabitants along all shores of the Islands should take the necessary precautions.
