Tsunamis and earthquakes are undoubtedly linked natural phenomena, since earthquakes originate in the ocean and can generate powerful upward waves known as tsunamis. The sudden updraft or downdraft at the ocean floor during an earthquake creates massive tsunami waves, similar to a child splashing water in a bathtub.
tsunamis and earthquakes
Earthquakes can also trigger tsunamis by rupturing underwater vents, which in turn release enormous amounts of seawater. Explaining each of these phenomena will be a simple task for a better understanding of them. For more information on the impact of these events, you can consult the article on natural disasters and their relationship to natural phenomena.
Tsunami
A tsunami is defined as a series of high waves caused by a large underwater disturbance. These ocean waves tend to reach and strike coastlines with extraordinary power and force, resulting in devastating consequences: loss of property, loss of life, and physical injuries, among other effects. To learn more about the characteristics of these formidable waves, see the article " Characteristics of a Tsunami ."
A tsunami can travel thousands of kilometers from its point of origin and affect almost any coastal area, especially those located less than 7.25 meters above sea level and 1,609.3 meters above sea level. To better understand the different types of tsunamis , you can consult the article on [topic missing].
The data
Tsunamis are not innocent large waves created by wind currents . Nor are they formed by a single wave, but rather by many waves of varying size and immense extent. When they travel, they do so rapidly in deep water and slowly in shallow water.
Origins of the creation of tsunamis
Tsunamis and earthquakes are linked ; one cannot form without the other. In other words, most tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes, although other factors can also trigger them. Furthermore, it is important to consider these factors to understand the full extent of these phenomena.
Earthquakes
When a tectonic plate rises or falls abruptly, water moves over it , creating powerful waves. These waves can travel in any direction and are definitely not symmetrical.
For an earthquake to cause a tsunami, the rupture must be below the ocean floor and produce a vertical current of water in a large area of up to 100,000 square meters. In deep water, the wave caused by the earthquake may be very small, or to put it more simply, not very sharp. As they travel and approach shallower areas , the waves gain height. That's why a tiny earthquake can become a gigantic wave when it reaches land.
earth movements
If material found on land, such as soil, rocks, ice, and other components, falls into the water, it can create waves that gain height when they reach beaches. However, the ground movements that generate tsunamis are triggered by earthquakes that occur in the oceans or underwater earthquakes.
volcanic expulsions
Since they tend to be powerful eruptions, if volcanoes are located near the ocean, they displace large bodies of water, creating waves and subsequently storm surges . For a better understanding of the volcanic impact, you can consult the article on the consequences of the Mount Tambora eruption.
Asteroids, Meteorites and other extraterrestrial entities
Although not underwater uprisings, explosions from space entities can create waves in the water that progress slowly and reach land with the full force of a tsunami . No such event has been recorded in real time, but documented cases are considered possible.
Earthquakes
An earthquake is a sudden movement in the Earth, caused by the violent release of energy accumulated over a long period. The Earth's crust is composed of about a dozen layers, each approximately 70 km thick, with distinct physical and chemical properties.
In this sense, these tectonic plates are adapting in a process that has been ongoing for many years, gradually shaping the Earth's surface as we see it today, creating continents and landforms in a process that is far from complete. It is essential to keep in mind that these phenomena can be devastating, and one must be prepared for any eventuality.
The hypocenter or focus of an earthquake
It is the point in the Earth's depression from which the force of an earthquake is released. When it occurs in the Earth's crust, it is called a superficial earthquake. If it occurs between 70 and 300 km, it is called an intermediate earthquake, and if it is deeper, it is called a penetrating earthquake (remember that the Earth's focus is located at a depth of about 6.370 km).
epicenter of an earthquake
It is the area of the Earth directly above the hypocenter , that is, it is where the violence of the earthquake is most acute.
earthquake calculation
It is performed using a tool called a seismograph , which records the Earth's shaking caused by the earthquake on paper (seismogram). It tells us the extent and duration of the phenomenon.
This instrument explores two types of waves: surface waves, which travel across the Earth's surface and cause the greatest disturbance (and perhaps the greatest damage), and core or body waves, which travel through the Earth's interior from its depths . Understanding how these waves affect the Earth's structure is fundamental.
Kinds of waves that are formed in the earthquake
One of the biggest difficulties in calculating an earthquake is the initial problem of standardizing the research achieved by seismographs located at unequal points, so it is not unusual for previous investigations to be contradictory since they were based on deformities that recognized unequal wave widths.
Determining the total area affected by the earthquake can delay the study of the main current and its subsequent manifestations by several hours or days. The speed of the analysis is of fundamental importance for deploying emergency response teams in such events. In this sense, the prompt identification of tsunamis generated by earthquakes is crucial for minimizing adverse effects.
Each earthquake is assigned a unique magnitude value; however, when there isn't a sufficient number of stations, the assessment is carried out, especially when there are investigations not necessarily conducted at the epicenter but at nearby locations. Therefore, a different value is assigned to each place or city, and by interleaving the digits, the epicenter is located.
On the other hand, once the data from different times has been coordinated , the discrepancy for a given location is usually no greater than 0.2 degrees. This can be more difficult to verify if several earthquakes occur close together in time or at the same location. However, each earthquake has a unique magnitude , and its impact will vary considerably depending on the path of the seismic waves, the terrain, the types of buildings, and other factors. You can also learn about microseisms , which, although of lesser magnitude, are also part of this topic.
It is therefore more advantageous to categorize each earthquake according to its intrinsic energy . This categorization should be a single figure for each event, and this figure should not be presumed based on the resulting effects, which vary considerably from one area to another, as we mentioned earlier.
Finally, when we refer to tsunamis and earthquakes, both natural phenomena, it must be clear that many times these can be caused by the presence of the other.
