Meteotsunamis

Approach and Motivation

When people think of tsunamis, most think of earthquake-generated tsunamis like the one that occurred in the Indian Ocean in 2004. Earthquake-generated tsunamis account for approximately 85% of tsunamis. However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that meteorologically-generated tsunami type waves known as meteotsunamis may pose a greater threat to more people (1). This is because they are not driven by geological forces that only exist in certain locations, but rather by geographical and meteorological forces that can happen in far greater places. The goal of our project is to investigate the history and trends of meteotsunamis, estimate their potential power and judge whether one could happen in the Great Lakes.

Disclaimer and Intellectual Property Notice

The research results published on the web is the final project for the course CEE 514 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Access to the works and information contained herein is provided for public information with the understanding that the UW Department of Civil Engineering make no warranties, either express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of the information. Any results do not imply any endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data, or products presented, or guarantee the validity of the information provided.

© 2010 University of Wisconsin-Madison

Contact Information:
Evan Thomas - [email protected]
Graham Ryan - [email protected]