Tsunamis.

Table Of Contexts:
Page 2: Plan of Investigation.
Page 3: Bibliography.
Page 4 – 6: Research.
Page 7 – 8: Poem.
Page 9 – 10: Article 1.
Page 11 – 12: Article 2.
Page 13: Reflections 1.
Page 14: Reflections 2.
Page 15: Reflections 3.
Page 16: Group Written Report.
Page 17 - 20: Data Pieces for Group Written Report.
Plan Of Investigation.
My group and I choose to do the topic: Natural Disasters, and my subtopic is: Tsunamis. I
supported choosing this topic because not much people are aware of how dangerous they truly
are, how to act if in the unfortunate event of one… And because of how the topic is incredibly
interesting.
The benefits I expect, as a student of English Language, are:
To Increase and expand my vocabulary. To become a more literate person in society. To
understand people better, and so they can understand me; by having a vast knowledge of the
english language, and an extensive vocabulary… It would be easier for me to communicate with
others, and for them to reciprocate with me. And because of how the language itself, is a
language of science.
I intend to do my research by using, Creditable Websites, Education Books, Relevant Sites on
The Internet, Watching News Reports, and reading Articles.
Bibliography
Data Pieces
National Geographic, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tsunamis and
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tsunamis
Google, https://www.google.com/
Ready Gov, https://www.ready.gov/tsunamis
Tsunami.Org, http://tsunami.org/article-tsunami-and-science/
Research

What exactly Is a Tsunami?

A Tsunami is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of
water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other
underwater explosions above or below water all have the potential to generate a Tsunami. A
tsunami has four general stages: initiation, split, amplification, and run-up. During initiation, a
large set of ocean waves are caused by any large and sudden disturbance of the sea surface, most
commonly earthquakes but sometimes also underwater landslides. In some places a tsunami may
cause the sea to rise vertically only a few inches or feet. In other places tsunamis have been
known to surge vertically as high as 100 feet (30 meters). Most tsunamis cause the sea to rise no
more than 10 feet (3 meters).
Tsunami are waves caused by sudden movement of the ocean surface due to earthquakes,
landslides on the sea floor, land slumping into the ocean, large volcanic eruptions or meteorite
impact in the ocean. There are two types of tsunami generation:
Local tsunami and Far Field or distant tsunami.
What does Tsunami mean?
The phenomenon we call Tsunami is a series of large waves of extremely long wavelength and
period usually generated by a violent, impulsive undersea disturbance or activity near the coast
or in the ocean. Thus, the Japanese word "tsunami", meaning "harbor wave" is the correct,
official and all-inclusive term. The word "tsunami" is originally a Japanese word, but today it's
commonly used in English. And it's been all over the news since a powerful earthquake sent a
wall of water into northeastern Japan on March 11.
Where do Tsunamis Often happen?
Tsunamis occur most often in the Pacific Ocean and Indonesia because the Pacific Rim
bordering the Ocean has a large number of active submarine earthquake zones. However,
tsunamis have also occurred recently in the Mediterranean Sea region and are expected in the
Caribbean Sea as well. Where do tsunamis most often occur in the world? Tsunamis occur most
often in the Pacific Ocean and Indonesia because the Pacific Rim bordering the Ocean has a
large number of active submarine earthquake zones. Tsunamis can be generated by landslides,
volcanic eruptions, or even meteorite impacts in the ocean. But they are most often caused by an
earthquake where there's a sudden displacement of the ocean floor. When the tsunami hits, it
may come ashore like a fast-rising flood and strike with devastating force.
What are the 4 Main causes of Tsunamis?
Tsunamis are caused by violent seafloor movement associated with earthquakes, landslides, lava
entering the sea, seamount collapse, or meteorite impact. The most common cause is
earthquakes. See the percentages on the right for the geological events that cause tsunamis.
How long do Tsunamis Last?
Large tsunamis may continue for days in some locations, reaching their peak often a couple of
hours after arrival and gradually tapering off after that. The time between tsunami crests (the
tsunami's period) ranges from approximately five minutes to two hours.
What are the Main Features of a Tsunami?
The flooding of an area can extends inland by 1000 ft. (305 m) or more, covering large expanses
of land with water and debris. Flooding tsunami waves tend to carry loose objects and people out
to sea when they retreat. Tsunamis may reach a maximum vertical height onshore above sea
level, called a runup height, of 98 ft.

So, The Question Is, How Do We Protect Ourselves from Tsunamis, And How Do We Know
When One Is Coming?
How Do We know when a Tsunami is coming?
Ground Shaking, a Loud Ocean Roar, or the Water Receding Unusually Far, exposing the Sea
Floor are all nature's warnings that a tsunami may be coming. If you observe any of these
warning signs, immediately walk to higher ground or inland. Once a tsunami has been formed,
there is no way to stop it; but with an effective warning system in place, people can be
evacuated. And reducing the damage caused by a tsunami is certainly achievable.
How to Protect ourselves from a Tsunami?
Your goal, assuming you're on land, is to evacuate away from the coast. Try to reach someplace
100 feet above sea level or two miles away from the ocean. If you're lucky, the tsunami will have
been caused by an earthquake far away and won't arrive for several hours. Most people do not
survive being swept into a tsunami. But there are a few ways you can protect yourself from these
natural disasters. Your exact strategy will depend on where you are, and will go a lot more
smoothly if you have planned in advance. Move immediately to higher ground, DO NOT wait
for a tsunami warning to be announced. Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean
as you would stay away from the beach and ocean if there is a tsunami. Staying away from all
low-lying areas is the safest advice when there is a tsunami warning. Should a tsunami occur and
you cannot get to higher ground, stay inside where you are protected from the water. It's best to
be on the landward side of the house, away from windows. Often tsunamis occur in multiple
waves that can occur minutes apart, but also as much as one hour apart.
A Poem about Tsunamis:
imagine you're standing at the edge of a beach, looking into the water. it's a beautiful beach, the
best you've ever been to.
the water is pure, the sand is soft.
and it's all yours, this wonderful beach. as you're standing there, you see a tsunami approaching.
you can't believe it, this tsunami is about to tear apart your
sacred beach, and you with it.
you yell, you scream, you think of everything possible to try and stop this tsunami from coming,
but on it rages.
it reaches you and you're immediately knocked off your feet, drowning in the mad water.
it pushes and pulls you in a million different directions
and you choke on its waves.

do you fight?
of course you do. this is your beach.
the tsunami has no right to be here.
you'll be strong and fight until this tsunami goes away. and so you do. you kick and you swim
and you keep your head above water and finally,
your feet reach the ground again.
miraculously, when you look around, your beach is still intact.
the sand is still soft at the touch,
and the water is the purest of blues again.
but you're barely able to catch your breath for a second before you see in the distance another
tsunami headed towards you and your wonderful beach.

you can't believe it.

again its waves swallow you and you're not as strong as you were when the first tsunami hit.

do you fight?
of course you do.
..right?
it's harder to keep your head above water this time,
and the waves pull you under until you're at your breaking point.
you don't know which way is up or down,
and when you reach the ground again,
this time it's your knees that touch the soft sand,
not your feet.
you're shaken. a little weak, but otherwise okay.
you get to your feet, look out into the water, and your heart stops. another tsunami headed your
way...

you're not sure you're going to make it as the 8th tsunami

takes its turn on you.
you've been underwater for minutes and you can feel the last of your oxygen being used up.
it's your instinct to fight, but how much more can you really give?
your body is weak and your mind isn't far behind.

do you fight?
do you fight for your beach?
you think of its perfection and it dawns on you that no one in their right mind would give up a
beach like that.
so you should fight.
shouldn't you?
you don't know anymore.
is it worth it?

the beauty of the beach is matched by the terror of the tsunamis.

it's not possible for you to have one without the other.

you don't have to make your decision this time,

because as your still deciding,
you feel your back rest upon the warm, soft sand.
you're lying down and you don't even have the energy
to lift your head up.
but you hear it.
you hear the terrifying tsunami racing towards you.

i hear the terrifying tsunami racing towards me.

do i brace myself for the fight?
do i stand up and face this tsunami head on?
do i keep still and accept defeat?
will i let the water rush over me and stop fighting?

..what would you do if it were you?

Article 1:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/tsunamis
A tsunami is a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching heights of
over 100 feet (30.5 meters), onto land. These walls of water can cause widespread destruction
when they crash ashore
What Causes a Tsunami?
These awe-inspiring waves are typically caused by large, undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate
boundaries. When the ocean floor at a plate boundary rises or falls suddenly, it displaces the
water above it and launches the rolling waves that will become a tsunami.
Most tsunamis–about 80 percent–happen within the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” a
geologically active area where tectonic shifts make volcanoes and earthquakes common
Tsunamis may also be caused by underwater landslides or volcanic eruptions. They may even be
launched, as they frequently were in Earth’s ancient past, by the impact of a large meteorite
plunging into an ocean.
Tsunamis race across the sea at up to 500 miles (805 kilometers) an hour—about as fast as a jet
airplane. At that pace, they can cross the entire expanse of the Pacific Ocean in less than a day.
And their long wavelengths mean they lose very little energy along the way. In deep ocean,
tsunami waves may appear only a foot or so high. But as they approach shoreline and enter
shallower water they slow down and begin to grow in energy and height. The tops of the waves
move faster than their bottoms do, which causes them to rise precipitously.
What Happens When It Hits Land.
A tsunami’s trough, the low point beneath the wave’s crest, often reaches shore first. When it
does, it produces a vacuum effect that sucks coastal water seaward and exposes harbor and sea
floors. This retreating of sea water is an important warning sign of a tsunami, because the wave’s
crest and its enormous volume of water typically hit shore five minutes or so later. Recognizing
this phenomenon can save lives.
A tsunami is usually composed of a series of waves, called a wave train, so its destructive force
may be compounded as successive waves reach shore. People experiencing a tsunami should
remember that the danger may not have passed with the first wave and should await official word
that it is safe to return to vulnerable locations.
Some tsunamis do not appear on shore as massive breaking waves but instead resemble a quickly
surging tide that inundates coastal areas.
The best defense against any tsunami is early warning that allows people to seek higher ground.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning System, a coalition of 26 nations headquartered in Hawaii,
maintains a web of seismic equipment and water level gauges to identify tsunamis at sea. Similar
systems are proposed to protect coastal areas worldwide.
Article 2:
http://tsunami.org/article-tsunami-and-science/
The tsunami warning system was developed in 1947-48 by scientists of the U.S. Coast and
Geodetic Survey and others. Since most tsunamis result from earthquakes near or under the
ocean, the scientists combined seismographs, oceanography, tide gauges, observers, and
communications into a system which has detected every Pacific-wide tsunami since 1948. When
an earthquake occurs, seismic waves travel through the earth and are measured, and the quake is
located by instruments at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) at Ewa Beach, O’ahu,
and other locations.
A tsunami is a series of waves 10 to 20 minutes apart generated by the heave and dip of the sea
floor. As soon as the earthquake happens, tsunami waves begin to spread out at the speed of a jet
liner, but are already being analyzed and queries sent to tide stations near the disturbance. (Some
sea level gauges are telemetered to Honolulu and can be read directly at the Warning Center.)
Since the speed of the tsunami waves can be easily calculated by knowing the depth of the ocean
path they are crossing, the scientists at PTWC can check the observing stations at the estimated
time of arrival of the first waves. The reports and data from the gauges are evaluated with
consideration for the earthquake’s magnitude and depth, the history of tsunamis from that area,
and the proximity to settled coastlines. In a few minutes, the scientists in charge must make a
difficult decision involving many human lives and millions of dollars, and it must be a
“YES/NO” decision. If they expect waves over one meter (three feet) high to impact an inhabited
coast, they will advise the civil authorities in that area; it is up to them to handle the evacuation
of “low-lying areas”. Because the waves travel about 500 miles an hour, they then advance the
warning across the ocean to stay three or four hours ahead of the first wave, while evaluating the
impact on the areas already affected to verify if the warning must be continued and expanded.
The PTWC is operated by the U.S. and involves 26 countries which may send gauge data and
receive the watch and warning messages. A local system is maintained in Alaska and issues
warnings on seismic data alone for events near Alaska; there is not enough time to verify the
waves as evacuation must be almost immediate. The PTWC provides the same service for local
events in Hawai’i. The Japanese maintain a center for events in their part of the ocean, as do the
Russians, with the evaluation method dependent on the time available.

There are a few important things for Hawai’i residents and visitors to remember when there is a
tsunami warning: if you hear Civil Defense sirens or see a TV message about a possible tsunami,
turn on a radio and follow instructions. Don’t use the telephone! Instead, check the maps in the
front of the telephone book to see if you are in an evacuation zone. If you are at the beach and
feel the ground shake hard, you just received nature’s warning of a local tsunami. Run for high
ground without waiting for sirens! If you want to read more about this application of science,
see:
Dudley, Walter and Min Lee. 1998. Tsunami! University of Hawaii Press. This book is available
at the Pacific Tsunami Museum gift shop.
George Curtis is a tsunami research specialist formerly affiliated with the Joint Institute for
Marine and Atmospheric Research at UH-Manoa. He lectures in Marine Science & Physics at
UH-Hilo and elsewhere and is a member of the Museum’s Scientific Advisory Council. George
developed the tsunami evacuation maps that Civil Defense has placed in all Hawai’i telephone
directories and is the Hawai’i County Tsunami Advise

IF YOU ARE UNDER A TSUNAMI WARNING:

1. First, protect yourself from an Earthquake
2. Get to high ground as far inland as possible
3. Be alert to signs of a tsunami, such as a sudden rise or draining of ocean waters
4. Listen to emergency information and alerts
5. Evacuate: DO NOT wait!
6. If you are in a boat, go out to sea
Reflection 1:

The material I have chosen to work with for my “Tsunamis” SBA, has shaped my thinking of the
topic in a relatively positive way. It has educated me immensely on how terrifying the topic is,
and how to protect my family, AND myself during one. And it actually caused me to be really
grateful that my small country hasn’t been hit by one!
Reflection 2:
In my articles, it consists of constant mood changes. From certain parts being dark and
depressing… To others just being exciting and interesting! They give off an unnerving tone, and
unlike how similar my articles are, my poem, expresses just how beautiful this disaster can be. It
makes one ‘slightly’ admire how both terrifying and astonishing a Tsunami is.
Reflection 3:
The SBA process helped me to become a much wiser, mentally stronger person. I’ve always had
a taste for knowledge, and having the opportunity to do this project with my friends was very
fun, and somewhat enjoyable. I’ve learnt alot about Natural Disasters, and I’m satisfied with
what I’ve learnt. Now, if something were to happen, as I studied, I would know what to do.
Doing this SBA made me more aware of the dangers of Natural Disasters. If anything, I’m
confident enough to say: ‘I’m prepared.’
Group Written Report:
The topic which we investigated is Natural Disasters. This topic was really familiar considering
such Disasters happen very often around the world. Sub topics were chosen based on what each
group member is familiar with, the data was sourced from different websites on the internet and
relevant books.
Doing this SBA was extremely challenging, there were issues with time management, curtain
group member/s were not as co-operative as others and some even had to re-do most of their
work. But in the end all of the necessary work was completed in a timely manner, we will say
that every individual who was involved with this group topic was satisfied with their pieces they
have done. Working in a group was not something new to any of us but was a struggle and very
awkward the same time, not many of us got along at the start but we become closer and finished
the SBA.
The group wasn't as effective as we thought it would be, most of us preferred working alone, we
did meet as a group to work on curtain aspects of the SBA and that was it. Would we like to
work on another group project again? Probably not but we did learn a little thing or two about
working in a Group. Hence most of us did our work on our own, without the help from each
other's information that was gathered, we wouldn't have known so much about these different
Natural Disasters.
Data Pieces for group written report

The tsunami warning system was developed in 1947-48 by scientists of the U.S. Coast and
Geodetic Survey and others. Since most tsunamis result from earthquakes near or under the
ocean, scientists combined seismographs, oceanography, tide gauges, observers, and
communications into a system that has detected every Pacific-wide tsunami since 1948. When an
earthquake occurs, seismic waves travel through the earth and are measured, and the quake is
located by instruments at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) at Ewa Beach, O’ahu,
and other locations.
A tsunami is a series of waves 10 to 20 minutes apart generated by the heave and dip of the sea
floor. As soon as the earthquake happens, tsunami waves begin to spread out at the speed of a jet
liner, but are already being analyzed and queries sent to tide stations near the disturbance. (Some
sea level gauges are telemetered to Honolulu and can be read directly at the Warning Center.)
Since the speed of the tsunami waves can be easily calculated by knowing the depth of the ocean
path they are crossing, the scientists at PTWC can check the observing stations at the estimated
time of arrival of the first waves. The reports and data from the gauges are evaluated with
consideration for the earthquake’s magnitude and depth, the history of tsunamis from that area,
and the proximity to settled coastlines. In a few minutes, the scientists in charge must make a
difficult decision involving many human lives and millions of dollars, and it must be a
“YES/NO” decision. If they expect waves over one meter (three feet) high to impact an inhabited
coast, they will advise the civil authorities in that area; it is up to them to handle the evacuation
of “low-lying areas”. Because the waves travel about 500 miles an hour, they then advance the
warning across the ocean to stay three or four hours ahead of the first wave, while evaluating the
impact on the areas already affected to verify if the warning must be continued and expanded.
The PTWC is operated by the U.S. and involves 26 countries that may send gauge data and
receive the watch and warning messages. A local system is maintained in Alaska and issues
warnings on seismic data alone for events near Alaska; there is not enough time to verify the
waves as evacuation must be almost immediate. The PTWC provides the same service for local
events in Hawai’i. The Japanese maintain a center for events in their part of the ocean, as do the
Russians, with the evaluation method dependent on the time available.

There are a few important things for Hawai’i residents and visitors to remember when there is a
tsunami warning: if you hear Civil Defense sirens or see a TV message about a possible tsunami,
turn on the radio and follow instructions. Don’t use the telephone! Instead, check the maps in the
front of the telephone book to see if you are in an evacuation zone. If you are at the beach and
feel the ground shake hard, you just received nature’s warning of a local tsunami. Run for high
ground without waiting for sirens! If you want to read more about this application of science,
see:
Dudley, Walter and Min Lee. 1998. Tsunami! University of Hawaii Press. This book is available
at the Pacific Tsunami Museum gift shop.
George Curtis is a tsunami research specialist formerly affiliated with the Joint Institute for
Marine and Atmospheric Research at UH-Manoa. He lectures in Marine Science & Physics at
UH-Hilo and elsewhere and is a member of the Museum’s Scientific Advisory Council. George
developed the tsunami evacuation maps that Civil Defense has placed in all Hawai’i telephone
directories and is the Hawai’i County Tsunami Advise.