Some additional information about the physics of a tsunami can be found at
this Web site.

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/general/physics/physics.html

A couple from California told of a harrowing experience in a television
news interview. The two were SCUBA diving at the moment when the tsunami
hit.  They and some other divers were able to hang on to a buoy while the
water "whited-out". When they were finally able to surface, everything
along the shore had been leveled.  No mention as to what happened to their
dive boat?

According to information presented in the link -
http://www.geophys.washington.edu/tsunami/general/physics/transform.html ,
it may be safer at sea than along the shore during such a catastrophic
event (i.e. the transforming tsunami as it approaches shore).

A safe, happy and healthy New Year to all.

Rich
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.worldwideconchology.com
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Original Message:
-----------------
From: Leslie Allen [log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 14:32:27 GMT
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: *Possible Junk Mail*      Tsunami / Thai Tidal Wave


Tidal-Waves are indeed “Pressure” or “Shock Waves”
(over simplified commentary)

The wave of water that moves across a land mass or crashes onto a shore is
the
result of the friction the shockwave has as it moves through the water.
First
t is shoving water, so water is displaced in its path and has to be moved
aside
creating a wall of water.  The movement of the shockwave also creates
induced
drag which pulls water along with it.

There is also a vacuum that I creates as part of a frontal wake.  This is
why
the water is  usually pulled away from the shore as it approaches.  This
had to
do with fact the water is becoming shallower, and the coefficient dynamic of
the energy within the wave.  This same effect happens with regular waves at
the
beach, which is all a dynamic equation of the exchange / discharge of
energy.

The Pressure or Shockwave are typically created by:
a) Collapsing walls of a volcanic mountain (minor)
b) Eruptions of magma on the ocean floor or volcanic mountain, which
produces
an explosion steam.
c) Other Geologic Events

Leslie

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