Observations and Modeling of Tsunamis from Genesis to Inundation Using Contemporary Methods
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Date
2025-02-24
Authors
Santellanes, Sean
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This dissertation explores broadly the science of tsunamis from genesisto inundation. Tsunami science has been able to produce accurate forecasts of
tsunami first arrival and propagation from advancements in deep ocean monitoring
and high resolution bathymetry and topography. However, it remains in its
infancy compared to its sister disciplne — seismology, owing to the lack and sparse
instrumentation in the offshore, deep ocean environment. In addition, the lack of
understanding of how turbulence and anthropogenic structures affects inundation
leaves the most destructive part of the tsunami life cycle remarkably unconstrained.
This dissertation seeks to understand and better constrain several aspects
of the tsunami life cycle. In this dissertation, I present an analysis of the tsunami
source of the 2022 Hunga Tonga global tsunami, showing from open ocean and
coastal sea level stations, the coupled atmospheric conditions that propagated
the tsunami globally. Further, I show that the background open ocean tsunami
spectrum, vital for understanding tsunami amplification from open ocean to
the coast, can experience changes due to atmospherically induced infragravity
waves. Next, I present an analysis of the 2020 Sand Point tsunami source. This
work shows a novel method for including open ocean instrumentation with
geodetic and seismological data to produce finite fault models capable of detecting
”hidden” subduction zone events. Finally, I present an analysis of the differences
of inundation between homogeneous and heterogeneous tsunami sources along
the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This work highlights the importance of using
heterogeneous tsunami sources for understanding how inundation may affect the
anthropogenic environment. This work may lay the groundwork for probabilistic-
based tsunami evacuation rather than relying on deterministic, homogeneous
tsunami sources.
This dissertation includes previously published (unpublished) co-authored
material.
Description
Keywords
Earthquakes, Geohazards, Seismology, Tsunami