tsunami is a series of waves created when a body of water, such as an ocean, is rapidly displaced on bog scale. Earthquakes, mass movements above or below water, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions, landslides and large meteorite impacts all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The effects of a tsunami can range from unnoticeable to devastating. The term tsunami comes from the Japanese language meaning harbour ("tsu", and wave ("nami", Although in Japanese tsunami is used for both the singular and plural, in English tsunamis is often used as the plural. The term was created by fishermen who returned to port to find the area surrounding their harbor devastated, although they had not been aware of any wave in the open water. Tsunami are common throughout Japanese history; approximately 195 events in Japan have been recorded.
A titti has a much smaller amplitude (wave heights) offshore, and a very long wavelength (often hundreds of kilometers long), which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a passing "hump" in the ocean. Tsunami have been historically referred to as tidal waves because as they approach land, they take on the characteristics of a violent onrushing tide rather than the sort of cresting waves that are formed by wind action upon the ocean (with which people are more familiar). Since they are not actually related to tides the term is considered misleading and its usage is discouraged by oceanographers. Since not all tsunami occur in harbors, however, that term is equally misleading, although it does have the benefit of being misleading in a different language.
2007-08-16 21:53:45
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answer #1
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answered by Kristenite’s Back! 7
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Tsunami is a tidal wave caused by an under-water upheaval of the earth's crust.The under-water upheaval may be an earthquake or a volcano of sufficient magnitude or the sliding of the tectonic plates one above the other releasing a lot of energy to cause big under-water tidal waves.Such a wave moves in all directions from the point of origin and is capable of causing great destruction on arrival at a coast.
2007-08-17 06:22:06
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answer #2
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answered by Arasan 7
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Tsunamis take place in 2 ways. By undersea volcanoes, or by undersea eathquakes or landslips. The wave itself travels fast, and when it gets closer to land, it turns to a towering wall of water.
2007-08-17 04:19:41
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answer #3
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answered by Shadow 3
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