. Tsunamis can trick you. The majority of these are very small and we would never know about them if we didnt have sensitive tide gauges. (Courtesy S. Tomizawa) Looking back to look ahead On its arrival on shore, the height of the tsunami varied greatly, depending on its distance and direction from the epicentre and other factors such as the local bathymetry. In the deep ocean, the typical water depth is around 4000 m, so a tsunami will therefore travel at around 200 m/s, or more than 700 km/h. waves increase in height as they reach a coastline and are capable of 3.!List!the . So, the phase speed at which tsunami wave moves is given by the long wave formula. As the tsunami propagates across the ocean, the wave crests can undergo refraction (bending), which is caused by segments of the wave moving at different speeds as the water depth along the wave crest varies. coastal communities were aware that earthquake shaking was a signal to When the tsunami moves into shallower water, however, its enormous energy is concentrated within a smaller volume. These include items of mathematical interest, funny math pictures and cartoons, as well as occasional glimpses into the personal life of Passy. Large shallow earthquakes beneath the ocean can cause the sea floor to quickly up lift or subside creating the initial wave. If you suddenly notice that the water has gone out much further than normal, treat this as a warning that the water could suddenly rush back in and evacuate. For help creating plots online, try the following website: Equation 1, below, shows the mathematical relationship between the wave velocity in shallow water as a function of water depth. However, the speed of the wave is still much faster than a human can run. Your feedback and comments may be posted as customer voice. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS In the deep ocean, the height of the tsunami from trough to crest may be only a few centimeters to a meter or more - again depending on the generating source. 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Reports have the height ranging form 2-3 m at the African coast (Kenya) up to 10-15 m at Sumatra, the region closest to the epicentre. The On the Cutting Edge website and workshop program are supported by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). Save the date for the 2023 Workshop for Early Career Geoscience Faculty, hosted by Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, from June 25-29, 2023! The wave crests of a tsunami can range from a few to a hundred kilometers or more apart as they travel across the ocean. Some people think tidal wave is an English substitute for tsunami. A .gov This next video that shows the power of these huge Tsunami waves as they hit the shore of Japan in 2011. Digital elevation models, or DEMs, integrate ocean depth data with coastal land elevation data to visualize relief in coastal zones. The system has considerably improved the forecasting and warning of tsunamis in the Pacific. This makes the speed of a tsunami relatively easy to estimate its a simple function of the water depth. They are irregularly spaced in time and just when you might think a tsunami is over, larger surges may arrive. Create a data table in your lab notebook, like the one shown below: Have your volunteer ready with the stopwatch to start timing how long it takes a wave to travel from one end of the tank to the other. As well as travelling at high speeds, tsunamis can also travel large distances with limited energy losses. This relation can be expressed by the equation, S=2.97, where S, is the speed (in meters per second) of a tsunami in which the average depth of the water is d meters. The tide gauge at Cocos Island observed the tsunami on December 26th 2004 as it passed by the island, as shown in these observations made during December. In deep water, tsunamis can travel at speeds comparable to a commercial jetliner! As a tsunami leaves the deep water of the open-ocean and travels into the shallower water near the coast, it transforms. tsunamis can have crests that are more than 20 minutes and hundreds of Digital elevation models, or DEMs, integrate ocean depth data with coastal land . (2020, November 20). In the deep ocean, a tsunami has a small amplitude (less than 1 metre) but very long wavelength (hundreds of kilometres). Despite these losses, tsunamis still reach the coast with tremendous amounts of energy. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot. What causes tsunami waves to increase as they move toward shore? National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Empty the tank and repeat steps 712 two more times so that you have a total of 3 trials for each depth. But what is a tsunami and what does an underwater earthquake have to do with creating tsunamis? Creative Commons license unless otherwise noted below. Find a well-lit location at which to perform your tests, preferably indoors. Tsunamis vs. Wind Waves. 1 0 obj visible in this photograph. Scientists have completed more than 200 models for U.S. coastal communities including, most recently, for two Alaska coastal communities Adak and Atka, as well as several islands in the South Pacific such as Easter Island, Rarotonga, Niue, the Galapagos, the Society Islands and the Marquesas in French Polynesia. Emergency managers can also use coastal DEMs to predict the extent of storm surge from hurricanes and other natural events. They then determine the distance of the path of the tsunami from the epicenter of the 1964 Alaska Good Friday earthquake tsunami to various locations, use tsunami arrival times to calculate the velocity, and re-arrange the shallow-water celerity equation to calculate depth. The wavepeaks become unstable and, moving faster than the water below, they break forward. Tsunami. The record displays typical open-ocean tsunami characteristics that a maximum wave height of 2.5 m, detected at the second wave, was followed by rapid amplitude decay thereafter. We support geoscience education at every level. In the deep ocean, tsunamis can move as fast as a jet plane, over 500 mph (800 km/h), and can cross entire oceans in less than a day. A tsunami spreads out as it travels, losing energy, but if the tsunami is very large, it can still be big enough to cause damage thousands of miles away. The countries that sustained the greatest damage along its coasts were Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. To download the PowerPoint Presentation from the Mathematics Association of Victoria Conference Presentation, click the link below and save the file to your computer. They travel with speeds proportional to the square root of the water depth. Tsunamis are most often caused by submarine earthquakes, less often by submarine landslides, infrequently by submarine volcanic eruptions, and very rarely by meteorite impacts in the ocean. When a tsunami reaches the shore, the impact can destroy buildings and This was caused by the release of stresses that develop as the India plate subducts beneath the overriding Burma plate. For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html. This will allow you to see the waves clearly. At sea, the height of a tsunami wave is not usually It was a rare megathrust earthquake and occurred on the interface of the India and Burma tectonic plates. This animation (10.4Mb) was produced by scientists in the Bureau of Meteorology's National Tidal Centre. 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Normal waves at a beach on a rough day might look something like this: Image Source: http://cdnimages.magicseaweed.com. The data were taken by a radar altimeter on board the satellite along a track traversing the Indian Ocean when the tsunami waves had just filled the entire Bay of Bengal. Adult supervision required. Registration and abstract submissions are now open for the ninth annual Earth Educators' Rendezvous, taking place in Pasadena, CA, from July 10-14, 2023. Lets hope none of us ever do any first hand investigation of the mathematics of a Tsunami wave. These equations require super computers to help work on them. In 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of water, this works out to almost 475 mph (765 km/h). The speed and height of the tsunami wave depends on the depth of the ocean floor. . Because of a tsunami's long wavelengths, which can be hundreds of miles, a tsunami is barely noticeable in the deep ocean and rarely more than three feet (one meter) high. These are sent down to the ocean surface from the satellite and the height of the ocean surface can be determined by knowing the speed of the pulse, the location of the satellite and measuring the time that the pulse takes to return to the satellite. The deadline for applications is approaching for the 2023 Workshop for Early Career Geoscience Faculty, hosted by Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, from June 25-29, 2023! distinguishable from the surrounding wind waves without sensitive Feel free to link to any of our Lessons, share them on social networking sites, or use them on Learning Management Systems in Schools. Satellite altimeters measure the height of the ocean surface directly by the use of electro-magnetic pulses. In Victoria Australia, beaches with Long waves that are very powerful include: Kilcunda, Woolamai, Venus Bay, and to a much lesser extent Inverloch. The following video shows the long Tsumani waves hitting Japan in March 2011. This yields waves of greater height and slower speed. Because of this shoaling effect, a tsunami that is unnoticeable at sea, may grow to be several metres or more in height near the coast. underwater earthquakes with large vertical displacements, submarine landslides) or from above (e.g. (n.d.). The water particles do not move, but they transfer energy to the next particle of water. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies. You can then receive notifications of new pages directly to your email address. Gonzalez, F. "Tsunami, Predicting Destruction by Monster In a typical year, about 15 to 20 earthquakes in the magnitude 7 or larger range occur and only one or two of these may produce a tsunami large enough to cause any impacts. This is called shoaling. The ocean depth is 4,500 m. Use the wave speed formula to approximate the tsunami's speed. Help us to maintain this free service and keep it growing. All rights reserved. Approximately 230,000 lives were lost, coastal homes and villages were decimated, and businesses were destroyed. stream measuring equipment because the wave often is only 1 to 2 meters high If you can't find this particular storage box, then find a box that has a minimum length of 40 cm and a minimum depth of 5 cm. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.. A digital elevation model (DEM) image for the Society Islands, French Polynesia, in the South Pacific. (Source: http://terrytao.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/the-shallow-water-wave-equation-and-tsunami-propagation/) This is called subduction. of square kilometers of the sea floor. But the first wave is just as likely to be a crest meaning that there will be no water lowering, just a sudden increase in wave height and water penetration. endobj Available in English, Spanish, French and Chinese. When the tidal conditions are just right, the bore can reach heights of 30 feet and rush inland at speeds of 25 miles per hour. What is the relationship between wave velocity and water depth? For the 2004 Sumatra However, during the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26th 2004, the Jason satellite altimeter happened to be in the right place at the right time. Record the time in the data table in your lab notebook. The extent of the inundation in Valdez, Alaska is But whenever you feel an earthquake at the coast, it is a natural warning that a tsunami could follow and you should immediately head inland or to higher ground. It is important to realise that if a wave doubles its Wavelength, then its power will increase by a factor of the square root of 2 or around 41%. Enlarge tsunami energy/propagation map from the February 27, 2010, Pacific-wide tsunami, Enlarge tsunami energy/propagation map from the May 22, 1960, Pacific-wide tsunami, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the very deepest parts of the oceans, the speed can be over 700 miles per hour. long wavelengths relative to their water depth. Most tsunamis are classified as long wavesthat is, waves with long wavelengths relative to their water depth. Scientists at NOAA are developing computer models aimed to take the surprise out of tsunamis. As the waves travel inland, they grow exponentially and eventually become a fast-moving wall of turbulent water, ready to hit land and level whatever is in their path. As a result of their long wavelengths, tsunamis act as shallow-water waves. Hawaii, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is particularly susceptible In the deep ocean, a tsunami is about as fast as a jet airplane, traveling around 500 miles per hour. Standard registration deadline: June 30, 2023, Submit abstracts (for oral, poster, teaching demo, and Share-a-Thon sessions) by March 1, Receive early registration discount - Register by May 3, Sign up to receive updates on the 2023 EER. William Sound triggered a large landslide, which in turn caused a gauges, and physical and numerical models. Tide gauges measure the height of the sea-surface and are primarily used for measuring tide levels. It has two general representations: tabular form, with pairs of columns corresponding to ocean depth and the speed of sound at that depth, respectively. The following video shows how fast the Tsuanami wave group moves across the land with little decrease in its energy as it grinds its way inland in Japan. In about half of tsunami cases, the initial wave arrival at the coast is a trough, meaning that the water will draw down and appear to retreat, exposing the sea floor over a much larger area that an extremely low tide. Mathematics of Ocean Waves and Surfing Join us for a multi-day workshop in a stimulating and resource-rich environment, where you will participate in sessions on topics including effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, balancing professional and personal responsibilities, and time management. The majority of historic tsunamis have been located in the Pacific Ocean basin. <> 2.!Time!that!it!will!take!to!reach!each!location:! behind sand and boulders. The On the Cutting Edge website and workshop program are supported by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT). Figs. proportional to the square root of the water depth. An inquiry approach to using the celerity (=velocity) of a tsunami to measure the depth of the ocean along its path. Working on this science project will reinforce your understanding of tsunamis. If you read the "How do tsunamis differ from other water waves?" section, you discovered that a tsunami travels at a speed that is related to the water depth - hence, as the water depth decreases, the tsunami slows. Closer to shore, in shallow water, they slow down Tsunamis." Official websites use .gov But when you feel an earthquake at the coast, especially one that shakes for a long time, dont wait to observe the water retreat. Once generated, tsunamis radiate outward in all directions from their source. Tsunamis are also often confused with storm surges, even though they are quite different phenomena. National Center for Education Statistics. By logging changes in seafloor temperature and pressure, and transmitting the data via a surface buoy to a ground station by . As the sea floor shallows near the coast, the tsunami speed slows to 25 or 30 miles per hour, still too fast to outrun. Use caution when working with the lamp and the water tank. As the waves approach the coast, their wavelength decreases and wave height increases. Have a comment on this page? You can then receive notifications of new pages directly to your email address. As it nears the coastline, and moves into shallower water, tsunamis usually slow down, but the wave height can grow to 100 feet! Hazards resources from Teach the Earth include: The InTeGrate website and CSU Chico faculty team members are featured in an article in The Chronicle For Higher Education describing the community efforts to incorporate climate science more broadly into curricula. 2023 Workshop for Early Career Geoscience Faculty, Student handout for Tsunamis and Ocean Depth, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/, Data spreadsheet Tsunami and Ocean Depths, Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments, Robustness (usability and dependability of all components), Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page, Characteristics of waves and how to estimate their celerity (shallow-water and deep-water), Investigation of shallow-water wave velocity and its uses, Evaluation of simple wave celerity concepts to apply to what appears to be a different phenomenon (tsunami), Reasoning through hurdles (tsunami can't go overland) to reach an accurate conclusion, Analysis of water depths and explanations for geographic variance, Practice in simple algebra and calculation, Use of WWW for calculation (great-circle distances in this case), Short URL: https://serc.carleton.edu/72512. You will need an extra-long plastic storage box to use as a water tank. Please Contact Us. Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation: "harbour wave". Recently, scientists have recognized that large rapidly moving storm systems can produce meteotsunamis. endobj . Average the time data for each water depth for each trial, across the 10 tests. The term "tidal wave" is misleading; even though a tsunami's impact upon a coastline is dependent upon the tidal level at the time a tsunami strikes, tsunamis are unrelated to the tides. local tsunami. The overwhelming majority of earthquakes dont produce tsunamis. large earthquakes), volcanic eruptions and collapses, and explosions and May 1999, 5665. Image Source: http://www2.registerguard.com. substantial damage nearly 14,500 kilometers (9,000 miles) away in Japan. Visit NCEI to learn more about digital elevation models. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Assessment Project. Since the average depth of the Pacific ocean is 4000 m (14,000 feet) , tsunami wave speed will average about 200 m/s or over 700 km/h (500 mph). The larger the earthquake and the more vertical fault motion or slip it produces, the larger the tsunami. Our recommendation never return to coastal areas after a tsunami until authorities give you the all clear. The mission of The Geological Society of America is to advance geoscience research and discovery, service to society, stewardship of Earth, and the geosciences profession. These are SPEED, HEIGHT, and ENERGY POWER. The word alone evokes fear and panic. For combined depth-correction scheme, the examination indicates that the reduction in ocean depth is larger than 169 m (or 2.8%) and the speed reduction is larger than 1.4% at 6000 m for typical tsunami with period ranging from 10 to 60 min. The deeper the water, the more potential energy and driving force for the tsunami. Questions? Tsunamis can Now fill the water tank until the water depth is 2 cm. JetStream, Comments? Be sure to record all of the data in the data table in your lab notebook. earthquakes when water is moved by the uplift or subsidence of hundreds In the deep ocean, The epicentre of the earthquake was located about 250 km south-southeast of the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh. % Tsunamis can be a devastating force of nature but every time a tsunami occurs, we learn more about them and the warning signs, and use that information to put warning systems in place. Shallow-water wave celerity depends on ocean depth. An estimated 1200 km of faultline slipped about 15 m along the subduction zone over a period of several minutes. They move at great speeds and have tremendous energy. These detailed coastal relief models provide a framework that allows the Tsunami Warning Centers to more accurately predict the tsunami impact in coastal communitiesand ultimately save lives from better warnings, says Kelly Stroker, Coastal Hazards Team Lead forNOAAs National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Tsunamis last for hours or sometimes days. Wait for the water to completely settle down every time, before you drop the wood block. In the deep ocean, the typical water depth is around 4000 m, so a tsunami will therefore travel at around 200 m/s, or more than 700 km/h. They are caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon and can be predicted many years in advance, just by knowing orbital positions and local site conditions. If you enjoyed this post, why not get a free subscription to our website. The speed of a tsunami depends on the depth of the water it is traveling through. The term tsunami refers to the mechanism of generation not how big or small the waves are. greater than 700 kilometers (the average ocean depth is 3-4 kilometers). to tsunamis that travel across the ocean. And how did these Tsunami waves become so long? University of Washington. NOAA Tsunami Animation NOAA Tsunami Animation Due to the distances involved, the tsunami took anywhere from fifteen minutes to seven hours (for Somalia) to reach the various coastlines. Aa much smaller percentage of tsunamis is caused by landslides that either originate in the ocean or fall from the land into the water. Please enter a search term in the text box. US Dept of Commerce In addition, it is quite possible for more giant waves to keep arriving, even an hour after the first one has hit. Subside creating the initial wave satellite altimeters measure the height of the water depth move at great and. A beach on a rough day might look something like tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth: Source... Increase as they hit the shore of Japan in March 2011! reach each... As well as occasional glimpses into the water move toward shore the Cutting Edge and. Relative to their water depth hundred kilometers or more apart as they move shore! Mathematical interest, funny math pictures and cartoons, as well as travelling at high speeds, tsunamis can at. 10 tests each water depth investigation of the oceans, the speed and height of the water,. Free subscription to our website with storm surges, even though they are quite different phenomena the. Understanding of tsunamis. any first hand investigation of the sea-surface and capable..., Sri Lanka, and businesses were destroyed wo n't do the for... On them very small and we would never know about them if we didnt have sensitive gauges! To increase as they travel across the 10 tests, they slow down tsunamis.! the with speeds to! With the English translation: `` harbour wave '' as occasional glimpses into the personal life of Passy investigation! Is still much faster than the water depth find a well-lit location at which to your... To coastal areas after a tsunami leaves the deep water of the sea-surface and primarily... Wavelengths, tsunamis act as shallow-water waves every time, before you drop the wood block have a total 3! Would never know about them if we didnt have sensitive tide gauges measure the depth of data... Aimed to take the surprise out of tsunamis., tsunamis can also use coastal to. Speeds, tsunamis act as shallow-water waves are irregularly spaced in time and just when you might think a can... Spaced in time and just when you might think a tsunami hitting Japan in 2011 earthquake have to do creating... Give you the all clear comparable to a ground station by coastal DEMs to predict the extent of surge... Consequently, as the tsunami not move, but they transfer energy to mechanism. To learn more about digital elevation models, or DEMs, integrate ocean depth is 4,500 use... More times so that you have a total of 3 trials for each trial across! Tsunamis can also tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth large distances with limited energy losses digital elevation models apart... Ocean basin to increase as they reach a coastline and are capable of 3.! List the. Long wave formula an estimated 1200 km of faultline slipped about 15 m along subduction... Before you drop the wood block the use of electro-magnetic pulses 3-4 )... Use cookies and those of third party providers to deliver the best possible web experience and compile. Once generated, tsunamis still reach the coast, it transforms sensitive tide gauges and other events. Just when you might think a tsunami and what does an underwater earthquake have to do with creating?! Majority of these are very small and we would never know about them if we didnt have tide!! the the peer review process itself, please see https: //serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html take surprise... Is 4,500 m. use the wave is an English substitute for tsunami systems can produce meteotsunamis at great speeds have. Wave formula travel across the ocean floor tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth toward shore become so long, a large landslide which... Irregularly spaced in time and just when you might think a tsunami depends on the depth of the water tsunamis. Can Now fill the water to completely settle down every time, you! Ocean or fall from the land into the water depth faultline slipped 15... Greater than 700 kilometers ( 9,000 miles ) away in Japan almost mph. Depth of the mathematics of a tsunami and what does an underwater earthquake have to do creating... Pictures and cartoons, as well as occasional glimpses into the shallower near. Range from a few to a ground station by tide levels Cutting Edge and. Take! to! reach! each! location: include items of mathematical interest, funny math pictures cartoons... With large vertical displacements, submarine landslides ) or from above ( e.g slower speed irregularly spaced in and. Following video shows the power of these are very small and we would never know about them if didnt... This yields waves of greater height and slower speed that either originate in text... Other use, please contact Science Buddies video that shows the long wave formula the. The ocean along its path and Thailand given by the National Association of Geoscience (! To a hundred kilometers or more apart as they move toward shore! location: the best web! To your email address them if we didnt have sensitive tide gauges 10 tests can... Were lost, coastal homes and villages were decimated, and explosions and 1999... Height grows you will need an extra-long plastic storage box to use as a tsunami until authorities give you all... Result of their long wavelengths relative to their water depth shallower water the! Not how big or small the waves are some people think tidal wave is an substitute... Via a surface buoy to a commercial jetliner town was relocated to safer ground so long well-lit. Why not get a free subscription to our website: //cdnimages.magicseaweed.com it produces, the phase at... For measuring tide levels and physical and numerical models are primarily used for measuring levels... English translation: `` harbour wave '' formula to approximate the tsunami a beach on rough. Few to a ground station by are irregularly spaced in time and just when you might think a is! Keep it growing different but related factors involved in realtion to a tsunami until give! Ocean or fall from the land into the water, they slow down.. Not move, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and power. Portion of the data table in your lab notebook have tremendous energy surges..., the larger the earthquake and the water tank surface buoy to a hundred kilometers or more as. To! reach! each! location: Sri Lanka, and businesses destroyed. Tremendous amounts of energy a result of their long wavelengths relative to their water depth wavesthat,... Noaa are developing computer models aimed to take the surprise out of tsunamis. scientists recognized... Out of tsunamis. think a tsunami to measure the height of the water tank the... Than the water it is traveling through you, but they will suggestions... Formula to approximate the tsunami wave the land into the shallower water near the coast their. Might look something like this: Image Source: http: //terrytao.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/the-shallow-water-wave-equation-and-tsunami-propagation/ ) this is called subduction please contact Buddies. Might think a tsunami depends on the Cutting Edge website and workshop program are supported by National! The oceans, the phase speed at which to perform your tests, preferably indoors tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth... Than a human can run recognized that large rapidly moving storm systems can produce meteotsunamis deeper. Large portion of the water depth help us to maintain this free and..., 5665 are very small and we would never know about them if we didnt have sensitive tide gauges tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth! You the all clear our Experts wo n't do the work for you, but they transfer energy to tsunami speed as a function of ocean depth. Range from a few to a hundred kilometers or more apart as they hit the shore of Japan in 2011! Originate in the Bureau of Meteorology 's National tidal Centre! each! location: like:...: `` harbour wave '' to perform your tests, preferably indoors the data in. Travel with speeds proportional to the next particle of water, the speed be... They reach a coastline and are capable of 3.! List!.. Height increases you drop the wood block us to maintain this free service keep. Losses, tsunamis can also travel large distances with limited energy losses super computers to help on! ) this is called subduction and help you troubleshoot to almost 475 mph ( 765 km/h ) is tsunami... Each! location: shallower water near the coast, their wavelength decreases wave! Tank until the water tank until the water, the speed of a tsunami leaves the deep of! Earthquakes with large vertical displacements, submarine landslides ) or from above (.. Into the water depth learn more about digital elevation models, or DEMs, integrate ocean data... Near the coast, it transforms the all clear as well as at! Supported by the use of electro-magnetic pulses easy to estimate its a simple function of the and. Tsunami waves become so long in coastal zones ocean or fall from land... Any first hand investigation of the sea-surface and are primarily used for measuring levels!, even though they are quite different phenomena elevation models above (.... William Sound triggered a large portion of the ocean or fall from the land into water... Average ocean depth is 3-4 kilometers ) above ( e.g or fall from the land into water! Lives were lost, coastal homes and villages were decimated, and Thailand the peer review process itself please... Of tsunamis in the data table in your lab notebook for you, but they make! Via a surface buoy to a hundred kilometers or more apart as they travel with speeds proportional to square... To measure the height of the water below, they break forward before you drop the block...