Tsunami characteristics include extremely long wavelengths and high propagation speeds
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
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AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
Retrieved reference materials from the U.S. Geological Survey and NOAA establish that tsunami waves feature extensive lengths spanning tens to hundreds of kilometers and propagate at very high speeds comparable to jet planes over deep waters.
Life of a Tsunami | U.S. Geological Survey Skip to main content
# Life of a Tsunami
By Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Life of a Tsunami
#### Panel 1—Initiation
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Earthquakes are commonly associated with ground shaking that is a result of elastic waves traveling through the solid earth.
However, near the source of submarine earthquakes, the seafloor is "permanently" uplifted and down-dropped, pushing the entire water column up and down. The potential energy that results from pushing water above mean sea level is then transferred to horizontal propagation of the tsunami wave (kinetic energy). For the case shown above, the earthquake rupture occurred at the base of the continental slope in relatively deep water. Situations can also arise where the earthquake rupture occurs beneath the continental shelf in much shallower water.
Note: In the figure, the waves are greatly exaggerated compared to water depth. In the open ocean, the waves are at most several meters high spread over many tens to hundreds of kilometers in length.
#### Panel 2—Split
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Within several minutes of t
What is a tsunami?
# What is a tsunami?
## A tsunami is a series of waves caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions.
On September 29, 2009, a tsunami caused substantial damage and loss of life in American Samoa, Samoa, and Tonga. The tsunami was generated by a large earthquake in the Southern Pacific Ocean.
Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases. The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters. While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves.
##### More Information
Tsunami "Fast Draw" Animation
Tracking Tsunamis (Ocean Today Video)
National Weather Service TsunamiReady™
NOAA Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART)
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Tsunami Propagation | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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# Tsunami Propagation
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## Fast Facts
Tsunami speed can be computed by taking the square root of the product of the acceleration of gravity, which is 32.2 feet (9.8 meters) per second squared, and water depth. In 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of water, this works out to almost 475 mph (765 km/h).
At rates like this, a tsunami will travel from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Hawaii in about five hours; or from the Portugal coast to North Carolina in eight and a half hours.
## Fast Facts
Tsunami speed can be computed by taking the square root of the product of the acceleration of gravity, which is 32.2 feet (9.8 meters) per second squared, and water depth. In 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of water, this works out to almost 475 mph (765 km/h).
At rates like this, a tsunami will travel from Alaska's Aleutian Islands to Hawaii in about five hours; or from the Portugal coast to North Carolina in eight and a half hours.
Once generated, tsunamis radiate outward in all directions from their source. Unlike wind waves that affect just the surface of the ocean, tsunamis propagate (move) through the
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