Although many have long assumed that offshore islands protect the mainland from the effects of tsunamis, civil and environmental engineering professor Costas Synolakis has found that the results are actually the opposite.
Synolakis' research shows that islands can focus the force of tsunamis and, as a result, can increase flooding on the mainland by up to 70 percent. This finding is significant because many fishing villages are stowed away behind offshore islands and assume that they will be safer when, in reality, their position may cause more damage.
Below is a sampling of recent of media articles about this research.
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Tsunamis can be one of the most destructive forces of nature to hit a location. These massive waves can destroy coastal towns and cause damages that last for years to come. Now, scientists have taken a closer look at tsunamis and have found that contrary to popular belief, offshore islands don't protect the mainland from tsunamis; instead, it appears that the exact opposite is true. (View article) |
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A long-held belief that offshore islands protect the mainland from tsunamis turns out to be the exact opposite of the truth, according to a new study. Common wisdom -- from Southern California to the South Pacific -- for coastal residents and scientists alike has long been that offshore islands would create a buffer that blocked the power of a tsunami. In fact, computer modeling of tsunamis striking a wide variety of different offshore island geometries yielded no situation in which the mainland behind them fared better. (View article) |
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Computer modeling of tsunamis striking a wide variety of different offshore island geometries yielded no situation in which the mainland behind them fared better. (View article) |
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Costas Synolakis of the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, a member of the multinational team that conducted the research, said that offshore islands is where many fishing villages are located, in the belief that they will be protected from wind waves. Even Southern California residents believe that the Channel Islands and Catalina will protect them. (View article) |
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A new study has revealed that offshore islands actually amplify the power of tsunamis, increasing flooding on the mainland by up to 70 percent. (View article) |
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Common wisdom — from Southern California to the South Pacific — for coastal residents and scientists alike has long been that offshore islands would create a buffer that blocked the power of a tsunami. But, according to recent research, that is not the case. (View article) |
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A new study has revealed that offshore islands actually amplify the power of tsunamis, increasing flooding on the mainland by up to 70 percent. (View article) |
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A long-held belief that offshore islands protect the mainland from tsunamis turns out to be the exact opposite of the truth, according to a new study. (View article) |
