Exploratorium Lab and Lunch: Preparing for a Tsunami
March 27, 2014, 12 - 1 pm, Presentation at Exploratorium
Event Location:
Exploratorium
Pier 15
San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map)
Title of Presentation: "The Science Behind Tsunamis, and How We Predict Them"
Contact Person:
Larry Smith, NOAA, larry.smith@noaa.gov, 831-656-1717
Summary:
Join us to hear experts discuss the science behind tsunamis, the damage these giant wave events can cause, and the technology that can tell us when the next one is on its way.
Full Description:
The second largest earthquake ever recorded—a magnitude 9.2—struck Alaska fifty years ago this March, touching off multiple deadly tsunamis that killed 119 people in Alaska, Oregon, and northern California. In the wake of the disaster, the U.S. government established a warning system to help detect tsunamis and warn those along the coasts who might be at risk. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the government agency responsible for tsunami forecasts and warnings, has an ongoing partnership with the Exploratorium.
Join us to hear experts discuss the science behind tsunamis, the damage these giant wave events can cause, and the technology that can tell us when the next one is on its way.
Cindy Pridmore is an engineering geologist with the California Geological Survey’s tsunami hazard mapping program. She’ll talk about the 1964 Alaska earthquake and tsunami, as well as which kinds of earthquakes generate tsunamis, and the dynamics of a tsunami wave.
Larry Smith, a meteorologist from NOAA, will discuss how the agency detects and forecasts tsunamis, generating watches and warnings for coastal residents. He’ll also use maps to show how far inland tsunami waves can reach, and discuss what to do when a tsunami is approaching.