Getting the right age? Testing luminescence dating of both quartz and feldspars against independent age controls

When luminescence dating was being developed much scientific effort was invested in showing it could achieve the correct ages, but this is now not routinely carried out for established protocols. This paper focussed on known age deposits from two case studies to explore whether correct ages were achieved. Case study 1 used the Storegga tsunami deposit dated to 8.2 ka sampled both horizontally and vertically and measured with OSL, IRSL and pIRIR. All results, for both quartz and feldspars, returned the correct age for the horizontal sample. Results from the vertical sample were more problematic with issues attributed to ongoing feldspar contamination of quartz and to beta heterogeneity. To agree with the independent age control single aliquot results required combination of >400 palaeodose replicates and in the case of IRSL the use of minimum age models. Measurements of feldspars at the single grain level using pIRIR measurements showed much improvement. Case study 2 used a barchan dune on the Tibet Plateau, China known to have been in position ∼10 years. Both quartz and feldspars returned young ages close to the true age, but the feldspar ages with brighter luminescence signal were more accurate once the luminescence signal to background ratio was optimised. On the basis of this study we advise against sampling vertically. We also recommend measuring feldspars with single grain pIRIR where possible, measuring >150 palaeodose replicates per sample and choosing feldspars rather than quartz for very young samples.     

Under the surface: Pressure-induced planetary-scale waves,volcanic lightning,and gaseous clouds caused by the submarine eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano

We present a narrative of the eruptive events culminating in the cataclysmic January 15, 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Volcano by synthesizing diverse preliminary seismic, volcanological, sound wave, and lightning data available within the first few weeks after the eruption occurred. The first hour of eruptive activity produced fast-propagating tsunami waves, long-period seismic waves, loud audible sound waves, infrasonic waves, exceptionally intense volcanic lightning and an unsteady volcanic plume that transiently reached—at 58 ?km—the Earth's mesosphere. Energetic seismic signals were recorded worldwide and the globally stacked seismogram showed episodic seismic events within the most intense periods of phreatoplinian activity, and they correlated well with the infrasound pressure waveform recorded in Fiji. Gravity wave signals were strong enough to be observed over the entire planet in just the first few hours, with some circling the Earth multiple times subsequently. These large-amplitude, long-wavelength atmospheric disturbances come from the Earth's atmosphere being forced by the magmatic mixture of tephra, melt and gasses emitted by the unsteady but quasi-continuous eruption from 0402±1–1800 UTC on January 15, 2022. Atmospheric forcing lasted much longer than rupturing from large earthquakes recorded on modern instruments, producing a type of shock wave that originated from the interaction between compressed air and ambient (wavy) sea surface. This scenario differs from conventional ideas of earthquake slip, landslides, or caldera collapse-generated tsunami waves because of the enormous (～1000x) volumetric change due to the supercritical nature of volatiles associated with the hot, volatile-rich phreatoplinian plume. The time series of plume altitude can be translated to volumetric discharge and mass flow rate. For an eruption duration of ～12 ?h, the eruptive volume and mass are estimated at 1.9 ?km³ and ～2 900 ?Tg, respectively, corresponding to a VEI of 5–6 for this event. The high frequency and intensity of lightning was enhanced by the production of fine ash due to magma—seawater interaction with concomitant high charge per unit mass and the high pre-eruptive concentration of dissolved volatiles. Analysis of lightning flash frequencies provides a rapid metric for plume activity and eruption magnitude. Many aspects of this eruption await further investigation by multidisciplinary teams. It represents a unique opportunity for fundamental research regarding the complex, non-linear behavior of high energetic volcanic eruptions and attendant phenomena, with critical implications for hazard mitigation, volcano forecasting, and first-response efforts in future disasters.     

The tsunami of 426 BC in the Maliakos gulf, eastern Greece

In 427 BC, a major earthquake occurred in ancient Greece. In particular, Attica, Boeotia, and the island of Euboea were the areas where seismic activity was most frequent. The fact that these events happened in conjuction with the Peloponnesian war provides us with an account made by historians of the war. Such an account is the one made by Thucydides.During the spring and summer of 426 BC shocks continued to take place. This time, the sea area between the island of Euboea and the mainland (Maliakos gulf) was also affected and as a result, a seismic sea-wave of considerable size formed. The tsunami, as it is better known, swept the surrounding coastal area. Major topographic alteration of the area occurred, resulting in a huge loss of life and the destruction of cities.In this paper, the author attempts to describe this event and to explain scientifically how it happened, and how this affected the shape of the area and human life.All the evidence used in this paper has been cross-referenced with at least one other historic or scientific source. Although it was extremely difficult to uncover hidden detail about an event so far in the past, any facts that could not be verified have not been included.     

EOF analysis of a time series with application to tsunami detection

Fragments of deep-ocean tidal records up to 3 days long belong to the same functional sub-space, regardless of the record’s origin. The tidal sub-space basis can be derived via Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis of a tidal record of a single buoy. Decomposition of a tsunami buoy record in a functional space of tidal EOFs presents an efficient tool for a short-term tidal forecast, as well as for an accurate tidal removal needed for early tsunami detection and quantification [Tolkova, E., 2009. Principal component analysis of tsunami buoy record: tide prediction and removal. Dyn. Atmos. Oceans 46 (1–4), 62–82] EOF analysis of a time series, however, assumes that the time series represents a stationary (in the weak sense) process. In the present work, a modification of one-dimensional EOF formalism not restricted to stationary processes is introduced. With this modification, the EOF-based de-tiding/forecasting technique can be interpreted in terms of a signal passage through a filter bank, which is unique for the sub-space spanned by the EOFs. This interpretation helps to identify a harmonic content of a continuous process whose fragments are decomposed by given EOFs. In particular, seven EOFs and a constant function are proved to decompose 1-day-long tidal fragments at any location. Filtering by projection into a reduced sub-space of the above EOFs is capable of isolating a tsunami wave within a few millimeter accuracy from the first minutes of the tsunami appearance on a tsunami buoy record, and is reliable in the presence of data gaps. EOFs with ∼$\sim$3-day duration (a reciprocal of either tidal band width) allow short-term (24.75 h in advance) tidal predictions using the inherent structure of a tidal signal. The predictions do not require any a priori knowledge of tidal processes at a particular location, except for recent 49.5 h long recordings at the location.     

利用日本GPS网探测2011年Tohoku海啸引发的电离层扰动

海平面的海啸波会产生大气重力波进而引发电离层扰动.本文利用日本GPS总电子含量数据来探测2011年3月11日Tohoku海啸引发的电离层扰动.观测结果表明,在日本上空的电离层中存在两种重力波信号,分别由海平面的海啸波以及地震破裂过程产生.地震产生的电离层重力波分布在震中周围（包括海洋上空以及远离海洋的区域）,而海啸引发的电离层重力波主要分布在海洋上空.地震产生的电离层重力波具有不同的水平速度,包括约210 m·s^-1以及170 m·s^-1,其频率为1.5 mHz;而海啸引发的电离层重力波水平速度快于前者,约为280 m·s^-1,其频率为1.0 mHz.此外,海啸引发电离层重力波与海平面上的海啸波有相似的水平速度、方向、运行时间、波形以及频率等传播特征.本文的研究将电离层中的海啸信号与地震信号区分开来,进一步确认电离层对海啸波的敏感性.     

Preliminary estimation of the tsunami hazards associated with the Makran subduction zone at the northwestern Indian Ocean

We present a preliminary estimation of tsunami hazard associated with the Makran subduction zone (MSZ) at the northwestern Indian Ocean. Makran is one of the two main tsunamigenic zones in the Indian Ocean, which has produced some tsunamis in the past. Northwestern Indian Ocean remains one of the least studied regions in the world in terms of tsunami hazard assessment. Hence, a scenario-based method is employed to provide an estimation of tsunami hazard in this region for the first time. The numerical modeling of tsunami is verified using historical observations of the 1945 Makran tsunami. Then, a number of tsunamis each resulting from a 1945-type earthquake (M _w 8.1) and spaced evenly along the MSZ are simulated. The results indicate that by moving a 1945-type earthquake along the MSZ, the southern coasts of Iran and Pakistan will experience the largest waves with heights of between 5 and 7 m, depending on the location of the source. The tsunami will reach a height of about 5 m and 2 m in northern coast of Oman and eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, respectively.     

Simulation of the Arabian Sea Tsunami propagation generated due to 1945 Makran Earthquake and its effect on western parts of Gujarat (India)

The 1945 Tsunami generated due to Makran Earthquake in the Arabian Sea was the most devastating tsunami in the history of the Arabian Sea and caused severe damage to property and loss of life. It occurred on 28th November 1945, 21:56 UTC (03:26 IST) with a magnitude of 8.0 (M _w), originating off the Makran Coast of Pakistan in the Arabian Sea. It has impacted as far as Mumbai in India and was noticed up to Karvar Coast, Karnataka. More than 4,000 people were killed as a result of the earthquake and the tsunami. In this paper an attempt is made for a numerical simulation of the tsunami generation from the source, its propagation into the Arabian Sea and its effect on the western coast of India through the use of a numerical model, referred to as Tunami-N2. The present simulation is carried out for a duration of 300 min. It is observed from the results that the simulated arrival time of tsunami waves at the western coast of India is in good agreement with the available data sources. The paper also presents run-up elevation maps prepared using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data, showing the possible area of inundation due to various wave heights along different parts of the Gujarat Coast. Thus, these results will be useful in planning the protection measures against inundation due to tsunami and in the implementation of a warning system.     

A Note on Tsunami Bore Front

A note is presented on tsunami bore front. This tsunami bore front is an old dynamical problem but also a new problem to be understood. The tsunami event on 2004 December 26 has raised this is an urgent problem. The author introduces here a model in order to see a hydrodynamical specific property of the tsunami bore front. This modeling gives us a new understanding about what mechanics is for the interested tsunami bore front, especially, around a coastal zone. This work adds a new understanding about mechanics of water motions as the tsunamis generated by the earthquake undersea at a distant area from the coast. The model in this work points out a specific transitional pattern as a function of time and space of tsunami bore front. This modeling gives what is essential at considering tsunami bore front.     

Analysis of the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, on the Kerala Coast of India—Part I: Amplitudes

The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004, not only affected the Bay of Bengal coast of India but also part of the Arabian Sea coast of India. In particular, the tsunami caused loss of life and heavy damage on some parts of the Kerala coast in southwest India. The tsunami traveled west, south of Sri Lanka, and some of the tsunami energy was diffracted around Sri Lanka and the southern tip of India and moved northward into the Arabian Sea. However, tsunami, being a long gravity wave with a wave length of a few hundred kilometers, has to take a wide turn. In that process, it missed the very southern part of the Kerala coast and did not achieve large amplitudes there. However, further north, the tsunami achieved amplitudes of upto 5 m and caused loss of life and significant damage. Here we identify the physical oceanographic processes that were responsible for selective amplification of the tsunami in certain locations.     

Positioning requirements for the tsunami warning system

Abstract

Canada has increased the number of tsunami warning stations on the Pacific Coast from two to three. The last gauge was installed at the north end of Vancouver Island, thereby filling a large gap previously existing and providing full coverage along the coast. The record of gauges at two of the three locations is accessible either by telephone or by means of meteor burst communication, alleviating the difficulties experienced during the tsunami threat of May 6, 1986, when telephone communications were disrupted by heavy use. The gauge at Langara Island will be relocated in a more accessible and also a more tsunami‐responsive location at Rennell Sound in the Queen Charlotte Islands. All tsunami gauges also serve as tide gauges, recording the water level every 15 min. In the event of a tsunami, the recording interval can be altered to every 60 s. Suggestions have been made that Canada attempt deep‐sea recording of tsunamis off its Pacific Coast. Although this would be of great scientific value, no such program is contemplated at this time.