Home CDEMA

Share |

Glossary

Search for glossary terms (regular expression allowed)
Begins with Contains Exact term Sounds like
All A B C D E H I L M O P R S T W
Page:  « Prev 1 2
Term Definition
Tsunami Numerical Modelling

Mathematical descriptions that seek to describe the observed tsunami and its effects.

Tsunami Period

Amount of time that a tsunami wave takes to complete a cycle. Tsunami periods typically range from five minutes to two hours.

Tsunami Preparedness

Readiness of plans, methods, procedures and actions taken by government officials and the general public for the purpose of minimizing potential risk and mitigating the effects of future tsunamis. The appropriate preparedness for a warning of impending danger from a tsunami requires knowledge of areas that could be flooded (tsunami inundation maps) and knowledge of the warning system to know when to evacuate and when it is safe to return.

Tsunami Risk

The probability of a particular coastline being struck by a tsunami multiplied by the likely destructive effects of the tsunami and by the number of potential victims. In general terms, risk is the hazard multiplied by the exposure.

Tsunami Source

Point or area of tsunami origin, usually the site of an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide that caused large-scale rapid displacement of the water to initiate the tsunami waves.

Tsunami Warning Centre (TWC)

Centre that issues timely tsunami information messages. The messages can be information, watch, or warning messages, and are based on the available seismological and sea level data as evaluated by the TWC, or on evaluations received by the TWC from other monitoring agencies. The messages are advisory to the official designated emergency response agencies. Regional TWC monitor and provide tsunami information to Member States on potential ocean-wide tsunamis using global data networks, and can often issue messages within 20 minutes of the earthquake. Local TWC monitor and provide tsunami information on potential local tsunamis that will strike within minutes. Local TWC must have access to continuous, real-time, densely-spaced data networks in order to characterize the earthquakes within seconds and issue a warning within minutes. An example of a Regional Tsunami Warning Centre is the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center which provides international tsunami warnings to the Pacific. After the 26th December 2004 tsunami, the PTWC and JMA have been acting as an Interim Regional TWC for the Indian Ocean. Examples of sub-regional TWC are the NWPTAC operated by the Japan JMA, WC/ATWC operated by the USA NOAA NWS, and CPPT operated by France. These centres, along with Russia and Chile, also act as national TWC providing local tsunami warnings for their countries.

Tsunami Wave Length

The horizontal distance between similar points on two successive waves measured perpendicular to the crest. The wave length and the tsunami period give information on the tsunami source. For tsunamis generated by earthquakes, the typical wave length ranges from 20 to 300 km. For tsunamis generated by landslides, the wave length is much shorter, ranging from hundreds of metres to tens of kilometres.

Tsunamigenic

Capable of generating a tsunami: a tsunamigenic earthquake, a tsunamigenic landslide.

Page:  « Prev 1 2
All A B C D E H I L M O P R S T W
Back To Top
CDEMA USAID European Union Home Project Management Glossary Links Contact Us
Credits/Copyrights Sitemap Disclaimer
Acute Vision Incorporated