![]() Tsunamis are created by an entirely different mechanism. This process creates the waves you see at the beach every day. Most waves are generated by wind as it blows over the ocean’s surface, transferring energy to and displacing the water. Japan Meteorological Agency via WikimediaCommons, CC BY Deep displacement When the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted, it launched ash into the atmosphere, created a powerful shock wave and displaced a huge amount of water, generating a tsunami that raced across the ocean. So how are tsunamis different from other ocean waves? What generates them? How do they travel so fast? And why are they so destructive? But tsunamis are not normal waves, no matter the size. Waves that are a few feet tall hitting a beach in California might not sound like the destructive waves the term calls to mind, nor what you see in footage of tragic tsunamis from the past. Tsunamis are one of my favorite topics to teach my students because the physics of how they move through oceans is so simple and elegant. I’m a physical oceanographer who studies waves and turbulent mixing in the ocean. ![]() Only about 12 hours after the initial eruption, tsunami waves a few feet tall hit California shorelines – more than 5,000 miles away from the eruption. ![]() 15, 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga erupted, sending a tsunami racing across the Pacific Ocean in all directions.Īs word of the eruption spread, government agencies on surrounding islands and in places as far away as New Zealand, Japan and even the U.S. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |