Tsunami Sediment Characteristics at the Thai Andaman Coast

This paper describes and summarizes the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami sediment characteristics at the Thai Andaman coast. Field investigations have been made approximately 3 years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami event. Seven transects have been examined at five locations. Sediment samples have been collected for grain-size analyses by wet-sieve method. Tsunami sediments are compared to three deposits from coastal sub-environments. The mean grain-size and standard deviation of deposits show that shoreface deposits are fine to very fine sand, poorly to moderately well sorted; swash zone deposits are coarse to fine sand, poorly to well sorted; berm/dune deposits are medium to fine sand, poorly to well sorted; and tsunami deposits are coarse to very fine sand, poorly to moderately well sorted. A plot of deposit mean grain-size versus sorting indicates that tsunami deposits are composed of shoreface deposits, swash zone deposits and berm/dune deposits as well. The tsunami sediment is a gray sand layer deposited with an erosional base on a pre-existing soil (rooted soil). The thickness of the tsunami sediment layer is variable. The best location for observation of the recent tsunami sediment is at about 50–200 m inland from the coastline. In most cases, the sediment layer is normally graded. In some cases, the sediment contains rip-up clasts of muddy soils and/or organic matter. The vertical variation of tsunami sediment texture shows that the mean grain-size is fining upward and landward. Break points of slope in a plot of standard deviation versus depth mark a break in turbulence associated with a transition to a lower or higher Reynolds number runup. This can be used to evaluate tsunami sediment main layer and tsunami sediment sub layers. The skewness of tsunami sediment indicates a grain size distribution with prominent finer-grain or coarse-grain particles. The kurtosis of tsunami sediment indicates grain-size distributions which are flat to peak distribution (or multi-modal to uni-modal distribution) upward. Generally, the major origins of tsunami sediment are swash zone and berm/dune zone sands where coarse to medium sands are the significant material at these locations. The minor origin of tsunami sediment is the shoreface where the significant materials are fine to very fine sands. However, for a coastal area where the shoreface slope is mild, the major origin of tsunami sediment is the shoreface. The interpretation of runup number from tsunami sediment characteristics gets three runups for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at the Thai Andaman coast. It corresponds to field observations from local eyewitnesses. The 1st runup transported and deposited more coarse particles than the following runups. Overall, the pattern of onshore tsunami sediment transportation indicates erosion at swash zone and berm/dune zone, followed by dynamic equilibrium at an area behind the berm/dune zone and after that deposition at inland zone until the limit of sediment inundation. The total deposition is a major pattern in onshore tsunami sediment transportation at the deposition zone which the sediment must find in the direction of transport.     

Sources and depositional processes of tsunami deposits: Analysis using foraminiferal tests and hydrodynamic verification

Foraminiferal tests are commonly found in tsunami deposits and provide evidence of transport of sea floor sediments, sometimes from source areas more than 100 m deep and several kilometers away. These data contribute to estimates of the physical properties of tsunami waves, such as their amplitude and period. The tractive force of tsunami waves is inversely proportional to the water depth at sediment source areas, whereas the horizontal sediment transport distance by tsunami waves is proportional to the wave period and amplitude. We derived formulas for the amplitudes and periods of tsunami waves as functions of water depth at the sediment source area and sediment transport distance based on foraminiferal assemblages in tsunami deposits. We applied these formulas to derive wave amplitudes and periods from data on tsunami deposits in previous studies. For some examples, estimated wave parameters were reasonable matches for the actual tsunamis, although other cases had improbably large values. Such inconsistencies probably reflect: (i) local amplification of tsunami waves by submarine topography, such as submarine canyons; and (ii) errors in estimated water depth at the sediment source area and sediment transport distance, which mainly derive from insufficient identification of foraminiferal tests.     

Sedimentary Deposits from the 17 July 2006 Western Java Tsunami,Indonesia: Use of Grain Size Analyses to Assess Tsunami Flow Depth,Speed, and Traction Carpet Characteristics

The 2006 western Java tsunami deposited a discontinuous sheet of sand up to 20 cm thick, flooded coastal southern Java to a depth of at least 8 m and inundated up to 1 km inland. In most places the primarily heavy mineral sand sheet is normally graded, and in some it contains complex internal stratigraphy. Structures within the sand sheet probably record the passage of up to two individual waves, a point noted in eyewitness accounts. We studied the 2006 tsunami deposits in detail along a flow parallel transect about 750 m long, 15 km east of Cilacap. The tsunami deposit first becomes discernable from the underlying sediment 70 m from the shoreline. From 75 to 300 m inland the deposit has been laid down in rice paddies, and maintains a thickness of 10–20 cm. Landward of 300 m the deposit thins dramatically, reaching 1 mm by 450 m inland. From 450 m to the edge of deposition (around 700 m inland) the deposit remains <1 mm thick. Deposition generally attended inundation—along the transect, the tsunami deposited sand to within about 40 m of the inundation limit. The thicker part of the deposit contains primarily sand indistinguishable from that found on the beach 3 weeks after the event, but after about 450 m (and roughly coinciding with the decrease in thickness) the tsunami sediment shifts to become more like the underlying paddy soil than the beach sand. Grain sizes within the deposit tend to fine upward and landward, although overall upward fining takes place in two discrete pulses, with an initial section of inverse grading followed by a section of normal grading. The two inversely graded sections are also density graded, with denser grains at the base, and less dense grains at the top. The two normally graded sections show no trends in density. The inversely graded sections show high density sediment to the base and become less dense upward and represents traction carpet flows at the base of the tsunami. These are suggestive of high shear rates in the flow. Because of the grain sorting in the traction carpet, the landward-fining trends usually seen in tsunami deposits are masked, although lateral changes of mean sediment grain size along the transect do show overall landward fining, with more variation as the deposit tapers off. The deposit is also thicker in the more seaward portions than would be produced by tsunamis lacking traction carpets.     

Tsunami deposits from the 1993 Southwest Hokkaido earthquake and the 1640 Hokkaido Komagatake eruption,northern Japan

The southwest Hokkaido tsunami of July 12th, 1993, left continuous onshore sand deposits along the west coast of Oshima Peninsuka, Hokkaido, northern Japan. We investigated spatial distribution and lithofacies of the new tsunami deposits for its identification of ancient tsunami deposits. An eyewitness acount and bent plants helped our interpretation of the onshore tsunami behavior. We regard the following properties as typical of the coastal tsunami sand deposits: (1) The deposits cover the surface almost continuously on gentle topography. (2) Deposit thicknesses and mean grain sizes descrease with distance from the sea. (3) Deposit thicknesses and lithofacies vary greatly across local surface undulation. (4) Graded bedding reflecting tsunami runup and backwash is present in thick deposits. (5) The deposits are widely distributed along the coast and extend inland several tens of meters to 100 m. We examined a candidate for the paleo-tsunami deposits associated with the 1640 Komagatake eruption, and confirmed that the similar patterns are typical of ancient tsunami deposits.     

Evaluation of the use of paleotsunami deposits to reconstruct inundation distance and runup heights associated with prehistoric inundation events,Crescent City,southern Cascadia margin

Historic‐ and prehistoric‐tsunami sand deposits are used to independently establish runup records for tsunami hazard mitigation and modeled runup verification in Crescent City, California, located in the southern Cascadia Subduction Zone. Inundation from historic (1964) farfield tsunami (~5–6 m runup height) left sand sheet deposits (100–200 m width) in wetlands located behind a low beach ridge [3–4 m elevation of the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88)]. The most landward flooding lines (4·5–5 m elevation) in high‐gradient alluvial wetlands exceed the 1964 sand sheet records of inundation by 1–2 m in elevation. The most landward flooding in low‐gradient alluvial wetlands exceed the corresponding sand sheet record of inundation distance by 1000 m. Nevertheless, the sand sheet record is an important proxy for high‐velocity inundation. Sand sheet deposition from the 1964 historic tsunami closely corresponds to the landward extent of large debris transport and structural damage in the Crescent City waterfront. The sand sheet deposits provide a proxy for maximum hazard or ‘kill zone’ in the study area. Six paleotsunami sand sheets (0·3–3 ka) are recorded in the back‐ridge marshes in Crescent City, yielding a ~450 year mean recurrence interval for nearfield Cascadia tsunami. Two paleotsunami sand deposit records, likely correlated to Cascadia ruptures between 1·0 and 1·5 ka, are traced to 1·2 km distance and 9–10 m elevation, as adjusted for paleo‐sea level. The paleotsunami sand deposits demonstrate at least twice the runup height, and four times the inundation distance of the farfield 1964 tsunami sand sheet in the same marsh system. The preserved paleotsunami deposits in Crescent City are compared to the most landward flooding, as modeled by other investigators from a predicted Cascadia (~ Mw 9) rupture. The short geologic record (~1·5 ka) yields slightly lower runup records than those predicted for the modeled Mw 9 rupture scenario in the same marsh, but it generally verifies predicted maximum tsunami runup for use in the planning of emergency response and rapid evacuation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Boulder deposition during major tsunami events

A remarkable accumulation of marine boulders located above the present spring tide level has occurred in two coastal lowlands of the Algarve (Portugal). The size‐interval of the particles studied here is seldom reported in the literature in association with extreme events of coastal inundation, thus making this study of relevance to many other coasts worldwide. The spreads of boulders extend several hundred meters inland and well beyond the present landward limit of storm activity. The marine origin of the boulders is demonstrated by well‐developed macro‐bioerosion sculpturing and in situ skeletal remains of endolithic shallow marine bivalves. The good state preservation of the fossils within the boulders indicates that abrasion during transport and redeposition was not significant. We envisage boulder deposition as having taken place during the Lisbon tsunami of ad 1755 through the simultaneous landward entrainment of coarse particles from nearshore followed by rapid shoreward suspended‐dominated transport and non‐graded redeposition that excluded significant sorting by weight or boulder dimensions. We use numerical hydrodynamic modeling of tsunami (and storm) waves to test the observational data on boulder dimensions (density, size, distribution) on the most likely processes of sediment deposition. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of the study of boulder deposits in tsunami reconstruction. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Could tsunami risk be underestimated using core‐based reconstructions? Lessons from ground penetrating radar

Where should we take cores for palaeotsunami research? It is generally considered that local depressions with low energy environments such as wetlands are one of the best places. However, it is also recognized that the presence or absence of palaeotsunami deposits (and their relative thickness) is highly dependent upon subsoil microtopography. In the beach ridge system of Ishinomaki Plain, Japan, several palaeotsunami deposits linked to past Japan Trench earthquakes have been reported. However, the number of palaeotsunami deposits reported at individual sites varies considerably. This study used ground penetrating radar (GPR) combined with geological evidence to better understand the relationship between palaeotopography and palaeotsunami deposit characteristics. The subsurface topography of the ~3000–4000 bp beach ridge was reconstructed using GPR data coupled with core surveys of the underlying sediments. We noted that the number (and thickness) of the palaeotsunami deposits inferred from the cores was controlled by the palaeotopography. Namely, a larger number of events and thicker palaeotsunami deposits were observed in depressions in the subsurface microtopography. We noted a total of three palaeotsunami deposits dated to between 1700 and 3000 cal bp , but they were only observed together in 11% of the core sites. This result is important for tsunami risk assessments that use the sedimentary evidence of past events because we may well be underestimating the number of tsunamis that have occurred. We suggest that GPR is an efficient and invaluable tool to help researchers identify the most appropriate places to carry out geological fieldwork in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of past tsunami activity. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Features and formation processes of multiple deposition layers from the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami at Ban Nam Kem,southern Thailand

Multiple‐layered tsunami deposits have been frequently reported from coastal stratigraphic sequences, but the formation processes of these layers remain uncertain. A terrestrial sandy deposit formed by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami was investigated at Ban Nam Kem, southern Thailand. Four internal layers induced by two tsunami waves were identified in the tsunami deposit. Sedimentary structures indicated that two units were formed by run‐up currents caused by the tsunami and the other two units were deposited by the backwash flows. Graded bedding was common in the layers, but inverse grading was observed at limited intervals on the surveyed transects. The characteristics of the multiple‐layered tsunami deposit vary remarkably over a very short distance (<1 m) in response to the local topography. Remarkable asymmetries in thickness and grain‐size distribution are recognized between the run‐up and backwash flow deposits. On the basis of the interpretation of sedimentary structures, the formation process of the multiple‐layered tsunami deposit observed in this study can be explained in a schematic model as the modification of the ideal tsunami sequence by local erosion and the asymmetric hydraulic properties of tsunami waves, such as the maximum shear velocity and the heterogeneity of the flow velocity field.     

Erosion and Sedimentation from the 17 July, 1998 Papua New Guinea Tsunami

— This paper describes erosion and sedimentation associated with the 17 July 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami. Observed within two months of the tsunami, distinct deposits of a layer averaging 8-cm thick of gray sand rested on a brown muddy soil. In most cases the sand is normally graded, with more coarse sand near the base and fine sand at the top. In some cases the deposit contains rip-up clasts of muddy soil and in some locations it has a mud cap. Detailed measurements of coastal topography, tsunami flow height and direction indicators, and deposit thickness were made in the field, and samples of the deposit were collected for grain-size analysis in the laboratory. Four shore-normal transects were examined in detail to assess the shore-normal and along shore distribution of the tsunami deposit. Near the shoreline, the tsunami eroded approximately 10–25 cm of sand from the beach and berm. The sandy layer deposited by the tsunami began 50–150 m inland from the shoreline and extended across the coastal plain to within about 40 m of the limit of inundation; a total distance of up to 750 m from the beach. As much as 2/3 of the sand in the deposit originated from offshore. Across most of the coastal plain the deposit thickness and mean grain size varied little. In the along-shore direction the deposit thickness varied with the tsunami wave height; both largest near the entrance to Sissano Lagoon.     

Determining flow patterns and emplacement dynamics from tsunami deposits with no visible sedimentary structure

In the absence of eyewitness reports or clear sedimentary structures, it can be difficult to interpret tsunami deposits or reconstruct tsunami inundation patterns. The emplacement dynamics of two historical tsunami deposits were investigated at seven transects in Okains Bay, New Zealand, using a combined geospatial, geomagnetic and sedimentological approach. The tsunami deposits are present as layers of sand and silt intercalated between soils and become finer and thinner with distance inland. The deposits are attributed to the 1960 and possibly the 1868 tsunamis, based on radiometric dating and correlation with historical records. Measurements of Magnetic Fabric (MF: Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility) and particle size were used to reconstruct the evolution of flow dynamics laterally and vertically. A combination of statistical methods, including spatial autocorrelation testing, Spearman's rank order correlation, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and K‐means cluster analysis, was applied to examine relationships between MF parameters and sediment texture, and infer depositional hydrodynamics. Flow patterns deduced from MF show the estuary channel acted as a conduit for inundation, with flow commonly aligned sub‐perpendicular to the estuary bed. MF and sediment data suggest deposition occurred from settling during laminar flow. Evidence of both uprush and backwash deposition, as well as wave reflection from infrastructure, was found. Statistical analysis of data showed significant relationships between grain size parameters and MF parameters associated with flow speed and magnetic fabric type. PCA and cluster analysis differentiated samples into two primary hydrodynamic groups: (1) samples deposited from laminar flow; and (2) samples deposited close to the limit of inundation, which includes samples deposited further inland, those affected by flow convergence, and those in the upper part of tsunami deposits. This approach has potential as a tool for reconstructing hydrodynamic conditions for palaeotsunamis and by combining spatial and statistical analyses, large‐scale investigations can be more easily performed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Foraminiferal evidence of submarine sediment transport and deposition by backwash during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

Micropaleontological analysis of nearshore to offshore sediments recovered from the southwestern coast of Thailand was performed to clarify the submarine processes of sediment transport and deposition during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The distribution pattern of benthic foraminifers showed seaward migration after the tsunami event. Agglutinated foraminifers, which are characteristic of an intertidal brackish environment, were identified in the post-tsunami samples from foreshore to offshore zones. These suggest that sediments originally distributed in foreshore to nearshore zones were transported offshore due to the tsunami backwash. On the other hand, the distribution pattern of planktonic and benthic species living in offshore zones showed slight evidence of landward migration by the tsunami. This suggests that landward redistribution of sediments by the tsunami run-up did not occur in the offshore seafloor of the study area. Our results and a review of previous studies provide an interpretation of submarine sedimentation by tsunamis. It is possible that tsunami backwashes induce sediment flows that transport a large amount of coastal materials seaward. Thus, traces of paleotsunami backwashes can be identified in offshore sedimentary environments as the accumulation of allochthonous materials. This can be recognized as changes in benthic foraminiferal assemblages.     

Regional grain size variations in aeolian sediments along the transition between Tibetan highlands and north‐western Chinese deserts – the influence of geomorphological settings on aeolian transport pathways

Sediment distribution is investigated applying grain size analysis to 279 surface samples from the transitional zone between high mountains (Qilian Shan) and their arid forelands (Hexi Corridor) in north‐western China. Six main sediment types were classified. Medium scale (10³ m) geomorphological setting is carefully considered as it may play an important role concerning sediment supply and availability. A tripartite distribution of sedimentological landscape units along the mountain to foreland transition is evident. Aeolian sediments (e.g. loess and dune sands) are widespread. They are used to identify aeolian transport pathways. The mU/fS‐ratio (5–11 µm/48–70 µm) among primary loess opposes the two grain size fractions being most sensitive to varying accumulation conditions. The first fraction is attributed to long‐distance transport in high suspension clouds whereas the latter represents local transport in saltation mode. The ratio shows strong correlation with elevation (R² = 0.77). Thus, it indicates a relatively higher far‐traveled dust supply in mountainous areas (>3000 m above sea level [a.s.l.]) compared to the foreland. The contribution of westerlies to high mountain loess deposits is considered likely. Hereby, the influence of the geomorphological setting on grain size composition of aeolian sediments becomes apparent: the contribution from distant dust sources is ubiquitous in the study area. However, the far‐distance contribution may be reduced by the availability of fine sand provided in low topography settings. Plain foreland areas support fine sand deflation from supplying river beds, allowing the formation of sandy loess in foreland areas and intramontane basins. In contrast, high mountain topography inhibits strong sand deflation into loess deposits. Eastern parts of the Hexi Corridor show higher aeolian sand occurrence. In contrast, the western parts are dominated by gravel gobi surfaces. This is attributed to higher sand supply in eastern parts provided by the Badain Jaran Desert and fluvial storages as sand sources. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stratigraphic records of tsunamis along the Japan Sea,southwest Hokkaido,northern Japan

The stratigraphy of tsunami deposits along the Japan Sea, southwest Hokkaido, northern Japan, reveals tsunami recurrences in this particular area. Sandy tsunami deposits are preserved in small valley plains, whereas gravelly deposits of possible tsunami origin are identified in surficial soils covering a Holocene marine terrace and a slope talus. At least five horizons of tsunami events can be defined in the Okushiri Island, the youngest of which immediately overlies the Ko‐d tephra layer (1640 AD) and was likely formed by the historical Oshima‐Ohshima tsunami in 1741 AD. The four older tsunami deposits, dated using accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C, were formed at around the 12th century, 1.5–1.6, 2.4–2.6, and 2.8–3.1 ka, respectively. Tsunami sand beds of the 1741 AD and circa 12th century events are recognized in the Hiyama District of Hokkaido Island, but the older tsunami deposits are missing. The deposits of these two tsunamis are found together at the same sites and distributed in regions where wave heights of the 1993 tsunami (Hokkaido Nansei‐oki earthquake, Mw = 7.7) were less than 3 m. Thus, the 12th century tsunami waves were possibly generated near the south of Okushiri Island, whereas the 1993 tsunami was generated towards the north of the island. The estimated recurrence intervals of paleotsunamis, 200–1100 years with an average of 500 years, likely represents the recurrence interval of large earthquakes which would have occurred along several active faults offshore of southwest Hokkaido.     

Tsunami deposit associated with the 2011 Tohoku‐oki tsunami in the Hasunuma site of the Kujukuri coastal plain,Japan

We describe the detailed sedimentary characteristics of a tsunami deposit associated with the 2011 Tohoku‐oki tsunami in Hasunuma, a site on the Kujukuri coastal plain, Japan. The thick tsunami deposit was limited to within 350 m from the coastline whereas the inundation area extended about 1 km from the coastline. The tsunami deposit was sampled by excavation at 29 locations along three transects and studied using peels, soft‐X imaging and grain‐size analysis. The deposit covers the pre‐existing soil and reached a maximum measured thickness of 35 cm. It consists mainly of well‐sorted medium to fine sand. On the basis of sedimentary structures and changes in grain size, we divided the tsunami deposit into several sedimentary units, which may correspond to multiple inundation flows. The numbers of units and their sedimentary features vary among the three transects, despite the similar topography. This variation implies a considerable influence of local effects such as elevation, vegetation, microtopography, and distance from footpaths, on the tsunami‐related sedimentation.     

Evidence on the Koseda coast of Yakushima Island of a tsunami during the 7.3 ka Kikai caldera eruption

Previous research indicates that Yakushima Island, southwestern Japan, may have been struck by a huge tsunami before or soon after the arrival of the Koya pyroclastic flow during the 7.3 ka caldera‐forming Kikai eruption, but this has not yet been confirmed. This paper describes sedimentological and chronostratigraphic evidence showing that Unit TG, one of three gravel beds exposed on the Koseda coast of northeast Yakushima Island and investigated here, is a tsunami deposit. Unit TG is a poorly sorted, 30 cm thick gravel bed overlying a wave‐cut bench and underlying a Koya pyroclastic flow deposit. Sparse wood fragments in Unit TG were dated at 7 416–7 167 cal year BP. The constituent gravel clasts of Unit TG are similar in composition to those of modern beach and river deposits along the Koseda coast. Unit TG also contains pumice clasts whose chemistry is identical to that of pumice derived from the 7.3 ka eruption at Kikai caldera. The long‐axis orientations and composition of gravel clasts in Unit TG suggest that they were transported by a landward‐travelling high‐particle‐concentration flow, which suggests that Unit TG was deposited by a tsunami run‐up flow during the 7.3 ka Kikai caldera eruption, just before the arrival of the major Koya pyroclastic flow at the Koseda coast. Whether the 7.3 ka tsunami was caused by a volcanic eruption or an earthquake remains unclear, but Unit TG demonstrates that a tsunami arrived immediately before emplacement of a Koya pyroclastic flow.     

Onshore tsunami deposits caused by the 1993 Southwest Hokkaido and 1983 Japan Sea earthquakes

Onshore tsunami deposits resulting from the 1993 Southwest Hokkaido and 1983 Japan Sea earthquakes were described to evaluate the feasibility of tsunami deposits for inferring paleoseismic events along submarine faults. Tsunami deposits were divided into three types, based on their composition and aerial distribution: (A) deposits consisting only of floating materials, (B) locally distributed siliclastic deposits, and (C) widespread siliclastic deposits. The most widely distributed tsunami deposits consist of the first two types. Type C deposits are mostly limited to areas where the higher tsunami runup was observed. The scale of tsunami represented by vertical tsunami runup is an important factor controlling the volume of tsunami deposits. The thickest deposits, about 10 cm, occur behind coastal dunes. To produce thick siliclastic tsunami deposits, a suitable source area, such as sand bar or dune, must be available in addition to sufficient vertical tsunami runup. Estimation of the amounts of erosion and deposition indicates that tsunami deposits were derived from both onshore and shoreface regions. The composition and grain size of the tsunami deposits strongly reflect the nature of the sedimentary materials of their source area. Sedimentary structures of the tsunami deposits suggest both low and high flow régimes. Consequently, it seems very difficult to identify tsunami deposits based only on grain size distribution or sedimentary structure of a single site in ancient successions.     

Field Survey and Geological Effects of the 15 November 2006 Kuril Tsunami in the Middle Kuril Islands

The near-field expression of the tsunami produced by the 15 November 2006 Kuril earthquake (M_w 8.1–8.4) in the middle Kuril Islands, Russia, including runup of up to 20 m, remained unknown until we conducted a post-tsunami survey in the summer of 2007. Because the earthquake occurred between summer field expeditions in 2006 and 2007, we have observations, topographic profiles, and photographs from three months before and nine months after the tsunami. We thoroughly surveyed portions of the islands of Simushir and Matua, and also did surveys on parts of Ketoi, Yankicha, Ryponkicha, and Rasshua. Tsunami runup in the near-field of the middle Kuril Islands, over a distance of about 200 km, averaged 10 m over 130 locations surveyed and was typically between 5 and 15 m. Local topography strongly affected inundation and somewhat affected runup. Higher runup generally occurred along steep, protruding headlands, whereas longer inundation distances occurred on lower, flatter coastal plains. Sediment transport was ubiquitous where sediment was available—deposit grain size was typically sand, but ranged from mud to large boulders. Wherever there were sandy beaches, a more or less continuous sand sheet was present on the coastal plain. Erosion was extensive, often more extensive than deposition in both space and volume, especially in areas with runup of more than 10 m. The tsunami eroded the beach landward, stripped vegetation, created scours and trim lines, cut through ridges, and plucked rocks out of the coastal plain.     

Sediment dynamics in an offshore tidal channel in the southern Yellow Sea

The geomorphology of the southern Yellow Sea（SYS） is characterized by offshore radial sand ridges（RSR）.An offshore tidal channel（KSY Channel） is located perpendicular to the coast,comprised of a main and a tributary channel separated by a submarine sand ridge（KSY Sand Ridge） extending seaward.In order to investigate the interactions among water flow,sediment transport,and topography,current velocity and suspended sediment concentration（SSC） were observed at 11 anchor stations along KSY Channel in RSR during a spring tide cycle.High resolution bottom topography was also surveyed.Residual currents and tidally averaged suspended sediment fluxes were calculated and analyzed by using the decomposition method.Results suggested that the water currents became stronger landward but with asymmetrical current speed and temporal duration of flood and ebb tides.Residual currents showed landward water transport in the nearshore channel and a clockwise circulation around the KSY Sand Ridge.Tidally-averaged SSC also increased landward along the channel.The main mechanisms controlling SSC variations were resuspension and horizontal advection,with spatial and temporal variations in the channel,which also contributed to sediment redistribution between channels and sand ridges.Residual flow transport and the tidal pumping effect dominated the suspended sediment flux in the KSY Channel.The KSY Sand Ridge had a potential southward migration due to the interaction between water flow,sediment transport,and topography.     

Geochemical characteristics of deposits from the 2011 Tohoku‐oki tsunami at Hasunuma,Kujukuri coastal plain,Japan

We examined the geochemical characteristics and temporal changes of deposits associated with the 2011 Tohoku‐oki tsunami. Stable carbon isotope ratios, biomarkers, and water‐leachable ions were measured in a sandy tsunami deposit and associated soils sampled at Hasunuma, Kujukuri coastal plain, Japan, in 2011 and 2014. At this site, the 2011 tsunami formed a 10–30 cm ‐thick layer of very fine to medium sand. The tsunami deposit was organic‐poor, and no samples contained any detectable biomarkers of either terrigenous or marine origin. In the underlying soil, we identified hydrocarbons and sterols derived from terrestrial plants, but detected no biomarkers of marine origin. In the samples collected in 2011, concentrations of tsunami‐derived water‐leachable ions were highest in the soil immediately beneath the tsunami deposit and then decreased gradually with depth. Because of its finer texture and higher organic content, the soil has a higher water‐holding capacity than the sandy tsunami deposit. This distribution suggests that ions derived from the tsunami quickly penetrated the sand layer and became concentrated in the underlying soil. In the samples collected in 2014, concentrations of water‐leachable ions were very low in both soil and sand. We attribute the decrease in ion concentrations to post‐tsunami rainfall, seepage, and seasonal changes in groundwater level. Although water‐leachable ions derived from seawater were concentrated in the soil beneath the tsunami deposit following the tsunami inundation, they were not retained for more than a few years. To elucidate the behavior of geochemical characteristics associated with tsunamis, further research on organic‐rich muddy deposits (muddy tsunami deposits and soils beneath sandy tsunami deposits) as well as sandy tsunami deposits is required.     

Great earthquake at 7.3 ka inferred from tsunami deposits in the Sukumo Bay area,Southwestern Japan

Tsunami deposits in Kyushu Island, Southwestern Japan, have been attributed to the 7.3 ka Kikai caldera eruption, but their origin has not been confirmed. We analyzed an 83-cm-thick Holocene event deposit in the SKM core, obtained from incised valley fill in the coastal lowlands near Sukumo Bay, Southwestern Shikoku Island. We confirmed that the event deposit contains K-Ah volcanic ash from the 7.3 ka eruption. The base of the event deposit erodes the underlying inner-bay mud, and the deposit contains material from outside the local terrestrial and marine environment, including angular quartz porphyry from a small inland exposure, oyster shell debris, and a coral fragment. Benthic foraminifers and ostracods in the deposit indicate various habitats, some of which are outside Sukumo Bay. The sand matrix contains low-silica volcanic glass from the late stage of the Kikai caldera eruption. We also documented the same glass in an event deposit in the MIK1 core, from the incised Oyodo River valley in the Miyazaki Plain on Southeastern Kyushu. These two 7.3 ka tsunami deposits join other documented examples that are widely distributed in Southwestern Japan including the Bungo Channel and Beppu Bay in Eastern Kyushu, Tachibana Bay in Western Kyushu, and Zasa Pond on the Kii Peninsula as well as around the caldera itself. The tsunami deposits near the caldera have been divided into older and younger 7.3 ka tsunami deposits, the younger ones matching the set of widespread deposits. We attribute the younger 7.3 ka tsunami deposits to a large tsunami generated by a great interplate earthquake in the Northern part of the Ryukyu Trench and (or) the Western Nankai Trough just after the late stage of the Kikai caldera eruption and the older 7.3 ka tsunami deposits to a small tsunami generated by an interplate earthquake or Kikai caldera eruption.