Title
Further Investigations: Tsunamis
Table of Contents
- Consult references and report on how tsunamis caused by earthquakes are related to plate tectonics, the movement of enormous crustal plates that form the solid surface of our planet.
- Do tsunamis caused by glacier calving, meteorites, and underwater explosions cause as much destruction as those caused by volcanoes and earthquakes? What is your evidence?
- Historical records indicate that large tsunamis occur periodically in earth’s history. For example, scientists report that in Australia in the past 200 years, the maximum run-up of a tsumani was six meters. However, the geologic record indicates that there was an ancient mega tsunami of at least 100 m.
- How do scientists detect evidence of ancient tsunamis?
- What is the height of some of the highest ancient tsumanis? Where did they occur?
- Make a timeline of the history of tsunamis in your region or a coastal region on the Pacific ocean basin you would like to visit. How often do they occur? What was the height of the most severe tsunami?
- Research how the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center detects tsunamis and issues bulletins.
- Research a tsunami that was very destructive to understand more about why it caused so much damage.
- What caused the tsunami?
- What geographic features contributed to the destruction?
- What ecological and property damage was caused by the tsunami?
- How did the affected areas rebuild? Were any structures put in place to mitigate destruction from future tsumanis?
- What technology is in place to warn people of tsunamis in the future?