Skip to main content

Characteristics of Several Tsunamigenic Submarine Landslides

  • Chapter
Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences

Part of the book series: Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research ((NTHR,volume 19))

Abstract

Submarine landslides are becoming recognized as a potential source of damaging local tsunamis. However, there are presently few documented case studies of landslide events that have caused historic tsunamis or likely caused prehistoric tsunamis. We present three case studies of submarine landslide environments off the west coast of the United States, including Alaska. Each environment has been imaged using multibeam technology allowing excellent resolution of the morphology of the seafloor. Based on this imagery and the historic record, we document the character of these environments and the resulting tsunamis. In the case of one of the failures, we present a model of the motion of the landslide and the size of tsunami that this motion would have produced.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bohannon, R.G. and Gardner, J.V., in press. Submarine landslides of San Pedro Sea Valley, southwest Los Angeles Basin. Marine Geology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dragovich, J.D., Pringle, P.T., and Walsh, T.J., 1994. Extent and geometry of the mid-Holocene Osceola mudflow in the Puget lowland-implications for Holocene sedimentation and paleogeography. Washington Geology, 22: 3–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emery, K.O. and Terry, R.D., 1956. A submarine slope off southern California. Journal of Geology, 64: 271–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, J.V., and Mayer, L.A., 1998. Cruise Report RV Ocean Alert C5uise4 A2-98-SC, Mapping the southern California continental margin. US Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, J.V., Hughes Clarke, J.E., and Mayer, L.A., 1999. Multibeam mapping of the Long Beach, California, continental shelf; Cruise report: RV Coastal Surveyor cruise C-1-99-SC: US Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-360.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, J.V., Van den Ameele, E. J., Gelfenbaum, G., Barnhardt, W., Lee, H.J., and Palmer, S., 2001. Mapping southern Puget Sound delta fronts after 2001 earthquake. Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 82: 485, 488-489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geist, E.L., 2000. Origin of the 17 July 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami: earthquake or landslide? Seismological Research Letters, 71:344–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hampton, M.A., Lemke, R.W., and Coulter, 1993. Submarine landslides that had a significant impact on man and his activities: Seward and Valdez, Alaska. in Schwab, W.C., Lee, H.J., and Twichell, D.C.(Eds.), Submarine Landslides: Selected Studies in the U.S. EEZ: USGS Bulletin 2002, p. 123–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes Clarke, J.E., Mayer, L.A., and Wells, D.E., 1996. Shallow-water imaging multibeam sonars: a new tool for investigation seafloor processes in the coastal zone and on the continental shelf. Marine Geophysical Research, 18: 607–629.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemke, R.W., 1967. Effects of the earthquake of March 27, 1964, at Seward, Alaska. US Geological Survey Professional Paper 542-E, 43 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locat, J., Locat, P. Lee, H.J., and Imran, J., in press. Nunerical modeling of the mobility of the Pahs Verdes debris avalanche, California, and its implication for the generation of tsunamis. Marine Geology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murty, T.S., 1979. Submarine slide-generated water waves in Kitimat Inlet, British Columbia. Journal of Geophysical Rsearch, 84: 7777–7779.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Normark, W.R., McGann, M., and Sliter, R., in press. Age of Palos Verdes submarine debris avalanche, southern California. Marine Geology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tacoma Daily News, 1894. The big cave-in. Thurs., Nov. 29, 1894, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tappin, D.R. and others, 1999. Sediment slump likely caused 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunami. Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 80: 329, 334, 340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tappin, D.R., Watts, P., McMurtry, G.M., Lafoy, Y., and Matsumota, 2001. The Sissano, Papua New Guinea tsunami of July 1998 — offshore evidence on the source mechanism. Marine Geology, 175: 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, S.N., 2001. Landslide tsunami. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106: 11201–11215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lee, H.J., Kayen, R.E., Gardner, J.V., Locat, J. (2003). Characteristics of Several Tsunamigenic Submarine Landslides. In: Locat, J., Mienert, J., Boisvert, L. (eds) Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0093-2_39

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0093-2_39

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3973-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0093-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics