if an earthquake of a magnitude of 8.3 were to happen in southern CA how far inshore would a tsumuni come in?

Answer 1

A large earthquake does not necessarily mean a tsunami will follow. It depends on the type, direction, and volume of plate movement. Since the major faults in southern California are inland (I think), a tsunami hitting the same area doesn't seem very likely. On the other hand, it might trigger a tsunami headed out to sea away from California due to land slides and the like. -yk

Answer 2

The magnitude of an earthquake does not determine if a tsunami would happen of not, the occurrence of a tsunami would occur if the whole water column is moved (meaning all the water above a point has to be moved and the only way to do that is to move it up or down). The only reason the Sumatran earthquake created a tsunami is because it moved the entire water column (the earthquake uplifted the ocean floor at some points over 60 feet, so the water was raised 60 feet creating a water surge that would increase in height as the surge moved inland and the ground on which the water moved sloped up-which would also decrease the speed dramatically from like 400+ km/hr to something like 100-ish)

But earthquakes don't necessarily have to move the water column... it all depends on the type of fault that the earthquake occurs on. I do not know the types of faults in California that can create tsunamis or the rock type that surrounds these faults, but I can ask my professor to see if a 8.3 can actually occur in California that can create a tsunami

I do know that a tsunami happened late last year or early this year in California that did a little damage to docks and boats, but it was nothing serious

I’ll write what I hear from my professor on late Monday, in two days.

Ok, its going to take some more time, my professor gave me an article to read dealing with the potential for tsunamis in southern California... it is a little long...
But what I have seen so far of the article is that irregular right-lateral faults (it kinda looks like a key in a box, or interlocking teeth if you wish) in this area can create mounts "pop-ups" and sag basins "pull-aparts" that would move the water vertically (move the water column)
these irregular faults occur at bends were faults curve such as the San Andreas' Big Bend (though it is not close enough to the water to create a tsunami) and the Catalina Fault runs by the Catalina "platform" (there are two ideas about how the platform was made: one is that is was created by these irregular faults and the second does not really matter right now, since I am not righting a paper) PS this is the one the paper says LA & OC residences should be afraid of, because the parallel orientation of the fault would direct a tsunami (if one were generated) towards these heavily populated areas... its kinda nice considering I live there and in the floodplain too...
One of these irregular faults created a Local Tsunami in 1989 in the Loma Prieta earthquake which was not in the water, but on the coast (it had a moment magnitude of 6.9) it does not talk about the damage done from this local tsunami, but it says that if it was 7+ mag and off shore it "would damage coastal communities"

I'll write more later if I have a chance... mid terms....

Answer 3

an earthquake does not automaticly trigger a Tsunami, if an earthquake were to happen in CA with a mag. of 8.3 the worest that could happen is that Ca will seperate into the ocean maybe a small wave could hit the westen sea coast but nothing as major as a Tsunami will trigger also we have a pacific Tsunami watch system so it should be predicatbale. also it will take a bigger mag to seperate CA but it is possible and predictable.

Answer 4

Depends upon where the earthquake happened ie the epicenter on or off shore. And what type of earthquake motion it set off. Also, how deep into the earth it was. So, really more information on the quake would be helpful.

Answer 5

it has to take place in the ocean. if it were to happen about 30miles off short at mag 8.3 you would be able to drive in a straight line at 45 mph for 1.5 hours from the beach to reach the end of the area damaged area.

Answer 6

Tsunamis are generated by ocean quakes.

Answer 7

We've had earthquakes here up to 7.0 and we've never had a tsumani.