Tsunami and Earthquake Research Active
Here you will find general information on the science behind tsunami generation, computer animations of tsunamis, and summaries of past field studies.
Learn More
Background information and links to our other tsunami research projects.
The scope of tsunami research within the USGS, however, is broader than the topics covered here. USGS researchers have also provided critical research toward understanding how sediments are transported during tsunami runup and deciphering the geologic record of prehistoric tsunamis. The USGS collaborates closely with the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research.
As part of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, the USGS has also upgraded the seismograph network and communication functions of the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center.
Soon after the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 many people have asked, “Could such a tsunami happen in the United States?” As a starting point, read “Could It Happen Here?”
Starting points:
- Could It Happen Here?
- Life of a Tsunami
- Local Tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest
-
- Not all tsunamis are generated by earthquakes
- Tsunamis can be caused by volcanoes, landslides, and even atmospheric disturbances
- Data from tide gauges can help unravel the complex physics of these sources
Tsunami events:
March 11, 2011, Japan
- Preliminary simulations of the tsunami
- Notes from the field: International Tsunami Team visits Japan before (2010) and after (May 2011);
plus eyewitness accounts from California on March 11
September 29, 2009, Samoa
- Preliminary analysis of the tsunami
- USGS scientists in Samoa and American Samoa studying impacts of tsunami
April 1, 2007, Solomon Islands
March 28, 2005, Sumatra
- Analysis and comparison of the December 2004 and March 2005 tsunamis
- Field study of the effects of the December 2004 and March 2005 earthquakes and tsunamis - April 2005
December 26, 2004, Sumatra-Andaman Islands
- Tsunami generation from the 2004 M=9.1 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake
- Initial findings on tsunami sand deposits, damage, and inundation in Sumatra - January 2005
- Initial findings on tsunami sand deposits, damage, and inundation in Sri Lanka - January 2005
June 23, 2001, Peru
- Preliminary analysis of the tsunami generated by the earthquake
- Preliminary analysis of sedimentary deposits from the tsunami
July 17, 1998, Papua New Guinea
Below are current tsunami studies and tsunami education materials.
PubTalk 1/2017 — Unusual sources of tsunamis
A presentation on "Unusual Sources of Tsunamis From Krakatoa to Monterey Bay" by Eric Geist, USGS Research Geophysicist
- Not all tsunamis are generated by earthquakes.
- Tsunamis can be caused by volcanoes, landslides, and even atmospheric disturbances
- Data from tide gauges can help unravel the complex physics of these sources
Below are USGS publications on a wide variety of topics related to tsunamis.
Book review: Physics of tsunamis
A global probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment from earthquake sources
Introduction to “Global tsunami science: Past and future, Volume I”
A possible source mechanism of the 1946 Unimak Alaska far-field tsunami, uplift of the mid-slope terrace above a splay fault zone
Source characterization and tsunami modeling of submarine landslides along the Yucatán Shelf/Campeche Escarpment, southern Gulf of Mexico
Reconstruction of far-field tsunami amplitude distributions from earthquake sources
A submarine landslide source for the devastating 1964 Chenega tsunami, southern Alaska
Non-linear resonant coupling of tsunami edge waves using stochastic earthquake source models
Dynamic models of an earthquake and tsunami offshore Ventura, California
Tsunamis: stochastic models of occurrence and generation mechanisms
Assessment of tsunami hazard to the U.S. Atlantic margin
Source processes for the probabilistic assessment of tsunami hazards
Below are news stories about tsunamis.
Below are FAQs associated with tsunamis.
- Overview
Here you will find general information on the science behind tsunami generation, computer animations of tsunamis, and summaries of past field studies.
Learn MoreBackground information and links to our other tsunami research projects.
The scope of tsunami research within the USGS, however, is broader than the topics covered here. USGS researchers have also provided critical research toward understanding how sediments are transported during tsunami runup and deciphering the geologic record of prehistoric tsunamis. The USGS collaborates closely with the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research.
As part of the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, the USGS has also upgraded the seismograph network and communication functions of the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center.
Soon after the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 many people have asked, “Could such a tsunami happen in the United States?” As a starting point, read “Could It Happen Here?”
Starting points:
- Could It Happen Here?
- Life of a Tsunami
- Local Tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest
-
- Not all tsunamis are generated by earthquakes
- Tsunamis can be caused by volcanoes, landslides, and even atmospheric disturbances
- Data from tide gauges can help unravel the complex physics of these sources
Tsunami events:
March 11, 2011, Japan
- Preliminary simulations of the tsunami
- Notes from the field: International Tsunami Team visits Japan before (2010) and after (May 2011);
plus eyewitness accounts from California on March 11
September 29, 2009, Samoa
- Preliminary analysis of the tsunami
- USGS scientists in Samoa and American Samoa studying impacts of tsunami
April 1, 2007, Solomon Islands
March 28, 2005, Sumatra
- Analysis and comparison of the December 2004 and March 2005 tsunamis
- Field study of the effects of the December 2004 and March 2005 earthquakes and tsunamis - April 2005
December 26, 2004, Sumatra-Andaman Islands
- Tsunami generation from the 2004 M=9.1 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake
- Initial findings on tsunami sand deposits, damage, and inundation in Sumatra - January 2005
- Initial findings on tsunami sand deposits, damage, and inundation in Sri Lanka - January 2005
June 23, 2001, Peru
- Preliminary analysis of the tsunami generated by the earthquake
- Preliminary analysis of sedimentary deposits from the tsunami
July 17, 1998, Papua New Guinea
- Science
Below are current tsunami studies and tsunami education materials.
- Multimedia
PubTalk 1/2017 — Unusual sources of tsunamis
A presentation on "Unusual Sources of Tsunamis From Krakatoa to Monterey Bay" by Eric Geist, USGS Research Geophysicist
- Not all tsunamis are generated by earthquakes.
- Tsunamis can be caused by volcanoes, landslides, and even atmospheric disturbances
- Data from tide gauges can help unravel the complex physics of these sources - Publications
Below are USGS publications on a wide variety of topics related to tsunamis.
Filter Total Items: 45Book review: Physics of tsunamis
“Physics of Tsunamis”, second edition, provides a comprehensive analytical treatment of the hydrodynamics associated with the tsunami generation process. The book consists of seven chapters covering 388 pages. Because the subject matter within each chapter is distinct, an abstract appears at the beginning and references appear at the end of each chapter, rather than at the end of the book. VariousAuthorsEric L. GeistA global probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment from earthquake sources
Large tsunamis occur infrequently but have the capacity to cause enormous numbers of casualties, damage to the built environment and critical infrastructure, and economic losses. A sound understanding of tsunami hazard is required to underpin management of these risks, and while tsunami hazard assessments are typically conducted at regional or local scales, globally consistent assessments are requAuthorsGareth Davies, Jonathan Griffin, Finn Lovholt, Sylfest Glimsdal, Carl Harbitz, Hong Kie Thio, Stefano Lorito, Roberto Basili, Jacopo Selva, Eric L. Geist, Maria Ana BaptistaIntroduction to “Global tsunami science: Past and future, Volume I”
Twenty-five papers on the study of tsunamis are included in Volume I of the PAGEOPH topical issue “Global Tsunami Science: Past and Future”. Six papers examine various aspects of tsunami probability and uncertainty analysis related to hazard assessment. Three papers relate to deterministic hazard and risk assessment. Five more papers present new methods for tsunami warning and detection. Six paperAuthorsEric L. Geist, Hermann Fritz, Alexander B. Rabinovich, Yuichiro TaniokaA possible source mechanism of the 1946 Unimak Alaska far-field tsunami, uplift of the mid-slope terrace above a splay fault zone
In 1946, megathrust seismicity along the Unimak segment of the Alaska subduction zone generated the largest ever recorded Alaska/Aleutian tsunami. The tsunami severely damaged Pacific islands and coastal areas from Alaska to Antarctica. It is the charter member of “tsunami” earthquakes that produce outsized far-field tsunamis for the recorded magnitude. Its source mechanisms were unconstrained byAuthorsRoland E. von Huene, John J. Miller, Dirk Klaeschen, Peter DartnellSource characterization and tsunami modeling of submarine landslides along the Yucatán Shelf/Campeche Escarpment, southern Gulf of Mexico
Submarine landslides occurring along the margins of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) represent a low-likelihood, but potentially damaging source of tsunamis. New multibeam bathymetry coverage reveals that mass wasting is pervasive along the Yucatán Shelf edge with several large composite landslides possibly removing as much as 70 km3 of the Cenozoic sedimentary section in a single event. Using GIS-based aAuthorsJason D. Chaytor, Eric L. Geist, Charles K. Paull, David W Caress, Roberto Gwiazda, Jaime Urrutia Fucugauchi, Mario Rebolledo VieyraReconstruction of far-field tsunami amplitude distributions from earthquake sources
The probability distribution of far-field tsunami amplitudes is explained in relation to the distribution of seismic moment at subduction zones. Tsunami amplitude distributions at tide gauge stations follow a similar functional form, well described by a tapered Pareto distribution that is parameterized by a power-law exponent and a corner amplitude. Distribution parameters are first established foAuthorsEric L. Geist, Thomas E. ParsonsA submarine landslide source for the devastating 1964 Chenega tsunami, southern Alaska
During the 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (Mw 9.2), several fjords, straits, and bays throughout southern Alaska experienced significant tsunami runup of localized, but unexplained origin. Dangerous Passage is a glacimarine fjord in western Prince William Sound, which experienced a tsunami that devastated the village of Chenega where 23 of 75 inhabitants were lost – the highest relative loss of aAuthorsDaniel S. Brothers, Peter J. Haeussler, Lee Liberty, David Finlayson, Eric L. Geist, Keith A. Labay, Michael ByerlyNon-linear resonant coupling of tsunami edge waves using stochastic earthquake source models
Non-linear resonant coupling of edge waves can occur with tsunamis generated by large-magnitude subduction zone earthquakes. Earthquake rupture zones that straddle beneath the coastline of continental margins are particularly efficient at generating tsunami edge waves. Using a stochastic model for earthquake slip, it is shown that a wide range of edge-wave modes and wavenumbers can be excited, depAuthorsEric L. GeistDynamic models of an earthquake and tsunami offshore Ventura, California
The Ventura basin in Southern California includes coastal dip-slip faults that can likely produce earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater and significant local tsunamis. We construct a 3-D dynamic rupture model of an earthquake on the Pitas Point and Lower Red Mountain faults to model low-frequency ground motion and the resulting tsunami, with a goal of elucidating the seismic and tsunami hazard inAuthorsKenny J. Ryan, Eric L. Geist, Michael Barall, David D. OglesbyTsunamis: stochastic models of occurrence and generation mechanisms
The devastating consequences of the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Japan tsunamis have led to increased research into many different aspects of the tsunami phenomenon. In this entry, we review research related to the observed complexity and uncertainty associated with tsunami generation, propagation, and occurrence described and analyzed using a variety of stochastic methods. In each case, seismogenicAuthorsEric L. Geist, David D. OglesbyAssessment of tsunami hazard to the U.S. Atlantic margin
Tsunami hazard is a very low-probability, but potentially high-risk natural hazard, posing unique challenges to scientists and policy makers trying to mitigate its impacts. These challenges are illustrated in this assessment of tsunami hazard to the U.S. Atlantic margin. Seismic activity along the U.S. Atlantic margin in general is low, and confirmed paleo-tsunami deposits have not yet been found,AuthorsUri S. ten Brink, Jason Chaytor, Eric L. Geist, Daniel S. Brothers, Brian D. AndrewsSource processes for the probabilistic assessment of tsunami hazards
The importance of tsunami hazard assessment has increased in recent years as a result of catastrophic consequences from events such as the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Japan tsunamis. In particular, probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment (PTHA) methods have been emphasized to include all possible ways a tsunami could be generated. Owing to the scarcity of tsunami observations, a computational approAuthorsEric L. Geist, Patrick J. Lynett - News
Below are news stories about tsunamis.
- FAQ
Below are FAQs associated with tsunamis.