Authors / CoAuthors
Horspool, N.A. | Griffin, J.D. | Van Putten, K.
Abstract
In response to the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami (IOT) that occurred on the 26th of December 2004, Geoscience Australia developed a framework for tsunami risk modelling. The outputs from this methodology have been used by emergency managers throughout Australia. For GA to be confident in the information that is being provided to the various stakeholders' validation of the model and methodology is required. While the huge loss of life from the tsunami was tragic, the IOT did provide a unique opportunity to record the impact of a tsunami on the coast of Western Australia. Eight months after the tsunami a post-disaster survey was conducted at various locations along the coast and maximum run-up was determined from direct observational evidence or anecdotal accounts. In addition tide gauges located in harbours along the coast also recorded the tsunami and provide a timeseries account of the wave heights and frequency of the event. This study employs the tsunami hazard modelling methodology used by Geoscience Australia (GA) to simulate a tsunami scenario based on the source parameters obtained from the Boxing Day earthquake of 2004. The model results are compared to observational evidence from satellite altimetry, inundation surveys and tide gauge data for Geraldton, a community on the Western Australian coast. Results show that the tsunami model provides good estimates of the wave height in deep water and also run up in inundated areas and it importantly matches the timing of the first wave arrivals. However the model fails to reproduce the timeseries data of wave heights observed by a tide gauge in Geraldton harbour. The model does however replicate the occurrence of a late arriving (16 hrs after first arrival) wave packet of high frequency waves. This observation is encouraging since this particular wave packet has been noted elsewhere in the Indian Ocean and caused havoc in harbours many hours after the initial waves had arrived and dissipated.
Product Type
document
eCat Id
68942
Contact for the resource
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Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
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2601
Australia
Keywords
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- GA PublicationRecord
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- tsunamis
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- geohazards
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- model
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- marine
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- AU-WA
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_External
Publication Date
2009-01-01T00:00:00
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geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Record 2010/001
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