How do they measure tsunamis?
Today, it said on the news that a tsunami would hit the pacific ocean side of Japan due to a 8.1 magnitute somewhere. Then later on, it was making announcements that a 10cm, 40cm, 50cm, and 1 meter tsunamis either "hit" this city or that.
Whenever they make tsunami announcements, I often see these really low "tsunamis". I thought a tsunami was a huge wave...so I have a hard time comprehending why they make warning announcements for a "10cm tsunami". If a boat passes by, that alone would cause more than a 10cm wave, right?
Any ideas on why they call a 10cm wave a "tsunami"?
posted by Robyn @ 11/16/2006 01:14:00 AM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
Aren't the characteristics of regular waves (made by boats, etc) different from tsunami waves?
SM
Yes, I'm pretty sure the definition of a tsunami is based on some scientific equation, but I haven't bothered to look into that just yet...but from a simple non-scientific perspective, a 10cm "wave" somehow doesn't make sense =).
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