A tidal wave is essentially an earthquake that originates from the marine base. According to its impetus and place, it can lead to create or not, a tsunami. In other words, not all tidal waves tend to produce tsunamis, but all tsunamis are caused by tidal waves. However, before explaining about the real giant tidal waves, let's take a walk on the creation of this natural phenomenon.
How does a tsunami originate?
Just like an earthquake, a tidal wave It originates due to the movement in the alliance of two tectonic plates. The hypocmaremotoentro of the , also called the epicenter of the marine earthquake, is the correct point where the movement or distance of the respective tectonic plates tends to occur.
La tsunami intensity it is determined by a complicated series of variables, but what is essential is the type of geological fault that determines the alliance of the plates. Regarding the above, at the moment in which a vertical agitation between the plates originates, the water level rises and the wave is created.
On the other hand, it is important to note that when it comes to a suitably strong shake whose hypocenter is located at a distance respectively close to the mainland, the prominence of the water level is seen as a retreat from the beach line.
In other words, if you are on the beach At the moment in which a tidal wave originates, you will be able to tell how the coastline begins to recede, and that represents that a tsunami is being created. The height of the wave and the speed at which it travels clearly depends on the momentum of the tremor that initiates it.
A clear example of one of the real giant tidal waves is the one that occurred in 2004 specifically in the Indian Ocean which was classified as one of 9,0 Mw in what represents the seismological scale of instant magnitude, greater momentum than Richter). It originated 120 kilometers from the beach in Sumatra, and about 30 kilometers below what would be sea level.
Time that one of the real giant tidal waves lasted
The tremor that originated at the time of the tsunami lasted between 8 and 10 minutes, this produced a series of Tsunami that moved throughout the Indian Ocean for a few hours, however, the first wave, which had an elevation of 15 meters, rocked the coast of Sumatra in just a few minutes.
As I have already been saying, A tidal wave is similar to an earthquake that occurs at the bottom of the ocean. If it is one of low momentum, it is possible that it is not even observed on the surface and it does not create waves so large as to think that it is a tsunami. On the contrary, if it is of greater intensity like the real giant tidal waves and also occurs near the coast, a tsunami is one of the most catastrophic natural disasters that can happen
Classification of tsunamis
The tidal waves can be classified according to various factors.
production origin
The following will explain what is given according to its origin of production.
1. Tectonic Tidal Wave
For this it is believed that the seabed must be shaken vertically, so that a large agglomeration of water is induced out of equilibrium which is often normal. One fact that I mentioned before is that not all earthquakes that occur at the bottom of the sea produce tidal waves, but only those of a strong dimension and not much depression. The areas most affected by this kind of tsunami is the Pacific Ocean because it is the most active region of our planet.
2. Tidal waves by volcanoes
These occur due to underwater eruptions. The process that takes place in a marine eruption is the same as that of an eruption that originates on earth, which causes earthquakes and a great explosion that is the primordial principle of tectonic movement and the current of the currents. terrestrial mantles. The impact caused by the meeting of the layers in a vertical representation and with little depression, quickly form the giant wave that moves at an average speed of 400 km/h.
3. Tidal waves due to land movement
As we frequent in the depths of the sea there are some reliefs that are the same as those on the surface, that is, we can find mountains, stones, plains among others. These evasions of land that originate within the sea produce a series of energy that bursts like waves, creating them in a gigantic way.
4. Submarine burst tsunamis
These have their origin due to the natural explosions that occur due to the pressure that exists or because of the results of wars that occurred previously, creating formidable waves. These bursts have to have a certain nuclear constraint to be able to form the precise force and constitute a huge wave of such extension that it affects the nearest beaches.
Birthplace
Another way in which tsunamis can be classified is according to their place of origin.
1. Local tsunamis
The Tsunami of local origin are the most aggressive, due to verified illustrations on some coasts, the first wave can occur between 10 to 30 minutes after the earthquake originated. These identifications are essential to plan the evacuation, since it is the time you have to evacuate the population of the region that will be affected.
2. Regional tsunamis
This type of tsunami occurs if the place where the wave will fall it is located about 1000 km from the breeding area.
3. Distant Tsunamis
If the place of arrival is on beaches that are oriented in the extreme or opposite zone of the Pacific Ocean, with a distance that goes from 1000 km from the generation zone, around half a day or more will be the precise time that the tsunami will take to be able to affect a population.
Frequently asked questions about tidal waves and their relationship with tsunamis
Many people tend to ask themselves over and over again what causes a tsunami? Do all earthquakes that occur in the sea produce tsunamis? And what was the tsunami with the greatest intensity that has been recorded in history?
Well, according to these questions, the scientist Goff points out that everything that tends to alter in the bottom of the sea somehow possesses the potential to produce a tsunami, that is, each of the main causes that have been heard are caused by submarine earthquakes, also by evasions submarines, the experiences of nuclear weapons and even asteroids that tend to fall on the sea are some of the main causes.
On the other hand, what would be the submarine volcanoes are in the same way suitable to release great tsunamis, with the expulsion in 1883 of the Krakatoa that formed a wave of 30 meters of elevation. In the same way, the scientist points out that people tend to underestimate earth movements as consequences of their production, both at the bottom and at the top of the water.
Finally, it indicates that among the real giant tidal waves that have been recorded so far and that it is associated with the appearance of a tsunami It is the one that took place in 1958 in Alaska and where a wave of 530 meters of elevation was generated.