Indian Ocean Tsunami

Paper Summary:

The deadliest tsunami in the Indian Ocean ever occurred at 7:59 AM local time on 26 December 2004. This paper looks at how the tsunami was one of the most damaging tsunamis observed in recent times and caused death to hundreds of thousands of people alongside billions of dollars worth of damage to the towns and villages affected. The paper examines the oceanic processes which led to the extent of the tsunami as well as the damage which was caused and the ways in which oceanographers can contribute to limiting damage from future tsunamis through monitoring the oceanic processes.

Outline:
Introduction
Oceanic Processes
Observations of Oceanic Processes
Data from Indian Ocean Area
Data from Outside Indian Ocean Area
Satellite Altimetry
Near Field
Far Field
Impact of the Disaster
Effects Near the Epicenter
Effects on Human Environments
Effects on Natural Areas
Monitoring and Prevention
Use of Data from the 2004 Tsunami
Predicting Future Tsunami Effects
Conclusions

From the Paper:

"The 2004 tsunami was originally caused by an earthquake which occurred on the ocean floor, out at sea in the Indian Ocean. The specific type of earthquake was crucial in the type of tsunami which formed as a result. The specific earthquake was caused by thrusting type of source rupture. It created a megathrust earthquake which was moment magnitude 9.3. The earthquake occurred along 1300km of oceanic subduction zone in the eastern Indian Ocean which is located 100km west of Sumatra and the Nicobar and Andaman Islands (Stein & Okal, 2005). The seismic changes which occurred caused vertical displacements of up to 10m in the ocean floor. These were accompanied by sudden horizontal movements of up to 20m in adjacent plates. Overall it was a combination of these two thrusting movements which led to creation of highly destructive waves (Bilham, 2005)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bilham, R. (2005) A flying start, then a slow slip. Science, 308(5725): 1126.
• Danielsen, F., Sorensen, M.K., Olwig, M.F., Selvam, V., Parish, F., Burgess, N.D., Hiraishi, T., Karunagaran, V.M., Rasmussen, M.S., Hansen, L.B., Quarto, A. and Suryadiputra, N. (2005) The Asian tsunami: A protective role for coastal vegetation. Science, 310(5748): 643.
• Detweiler, S.T., Mooney, W.D., Hudnut, K., Atwater, B. and Sipkin, S. (2006) International Cooperation for an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS). EOS Trans. AGU, 87(36).
• Geist, E.L., Titov, V.V., Arcas, D., Pollitz, F.F. and Bilek, S.L. (2007) Implications of the 26 December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on tsunami forecast and assessment models for great subduction-zone earthquakes. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 97(1a): S249-S270.
• Narayan, J.P., Sharma, M.L. and Maheshwari, B.K. (2005a) Effects of medu and coastal topography on the damage pattern during the recent Indian Ocean tsunami along the coast of Tamilnadu. Science of Tsunami Hazards, 23(2): 9-18.

More papers on Indian Ocean Tsunami:

• Cause and Effect Essay # 128508 : "The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami"
• Term Paper # 125561 : "The Indian Ocean and Global Trade"
• Descriptive Essay # 124677 : "Three Disasters"

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