“To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.”

-- Sir Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)

Monday, March 01, 2010

Tsunami

With the recent earthquake in Chile and subsequent Tsunami alarms across the Pacific Ocean, you may be wondering how a tsunami forms.  There is an excellent and lengthy description here.
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Tsunamis are formed as a result of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides that occur under the sea. When these events occur under the water, huge amounts of energy are released as a result of quick upward bottom movement. For example, if a volcanic eruption occurs, the ocean floor may very quickly move upward several hundred feet. When this happens, huge volumes of ocean water are pushed upward and a wave is formed. A large earthquake can lift thousands of square kilometers of sea floor which will cause the formation of huge waves. The Pacific Ocean is especially prone to tsunamis as a result of the large amount of undersea geological activity.

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2 comments:

PM2 said...

How come all of these Earthquakes are going on now?

DC7 said...

Thats so kool I never knew that