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Tsunamis versus storm deposits from Thailand

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Abstract

Along the Andaman (west) coast of Thailand, the 2004 tsunami depositional features associated with the 2004 tsunami were used to describe the characteristics of tsunamis in a place far away from the effect of both recent and ancient storms. The current challenge is that a lack of precise sedimentological characteristics have been described that will differentiate tsunami deposits from storm deposits. Here, in sedimentological senses, we reviewed the imprints of the sedimentological characteristics of the 2004 tsunami and older deposits and then compared them with storm deposits, as analyzed from the deposits found along the eastern (Gulf of Thailand; GOT) coast of Thailand. We discuss the hydraulic conditions of the 2004 tsunami and its predecessors, on the Andaman coast, and compare them to storm flows found on the coast of the GOT. Similar to an extensive tsunami inflow deposit, a storm flow overwash has very similar sedimentary structures. Well-preserved sedimentary structures recognized in sand sheets from both tsunami and storms include single and multiple normal gradings, reverse grading, parallel, incline and foreset lamina, rip-up clasts, and mud drapes. All these sedimentary structures verify the similarity of tsunami and storm inflow behavior as both types of high-energy flow start to scour the beach zone. Antidunes are likely to be the only unique internal sedimentary structures observed in the 2004 tsunami deposit. Rip-up clasts are rare within storm deposits compared to tsunami deposits. We found that the deposition during the outflow from both tsunami and storms was rarely preserved, suggesting that it does not persist for very long in the geological record.

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Acknowledgments

The Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D program (Grant No. PHD/0016/2552) partly provided funds to SP. This work is jointly sponsored to MC by the Thailand Research Fund (Grant No. RMU5380020), Ratchadapiseksomphot Endowment Fund and the Commission of Higher Education (CC508B), the Faculty of Science (A1B1-2), Chulalongkorn University, the Thai Government Stimulus Package 2 (TKK2555: PERFECTA). Thanks are also to PCU, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University for improving the English. The thorough review and comments of Professor Brady Rhodes, the editor and anonymous reviewer, that significantly improved this manuscript, are greatly appreciated.

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  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Sumet Phantuwongraj & Montri Choowong

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  1. Sumet Phantuwongraj
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Correspondence to Montri Choowong.

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Phantuwongraj, S., Choowong, M. Tsunamis versus storm deposits from Thailand. Nat Hazards 63, 31–50 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-011-9717-8

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