Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Great Japan quake generates 8-foot tsunami in California

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 23:00 GMT le 11 Mars 2011

A great earthquake rocked the coast of Japan at 5:46 GMT on March 11, generating a dangerous tsunami that raced across the Pacific. The mighty earthquake was rated 8.9 on the Richter scale, making it the 7th most powerful tremor in world history. The world's 8th largest earthquake, a magnitude 8.8 event, hit Chile on February 27, 2010; never before have two top-ten earthquakes hit so close together in time. Today's quake was the strongest in Japanese history, and will likely be the most expensive natural disaster in world history, surpassing the $133+ billion dollar price tag from Hurricane Katrina.

Figure 1. Model-computed energy from the March 11, 2011 tsunami as visualized by the NOAA Visualization Lab.

In the U.S., the highest tsunami waves from the earthquake hit northern California and southern Oregon, with a wave height of 8.1 feet observed at Crescent City, CA, 8.6 feet at Port San Luis, CA, 8.7 feet at Arena Cove, CA, and 6.1 feet at Port Orford, OR. The tsunami swept four photographers out to sea in the Crescent City harbor, injuring three of them and leaving one missing. Extensive damage was done to the harbor and 35 boats. Up to $2 million in damage also occurred in the Santa Cruz harbor south of San Francisco.

Figure 2. Tide gauge at Crescent City, CA during the March 11, 2011 tsunami. The green line shows the height of the tsunami wave; the red line shows the observed water level. The highest tsunami wave came at at 17 UTC (9am PST), an hour and 10 minutes after the initial wave, and was 7 feet high. Image credit: NOAA.

Crescent City was hit by a devastating tsunami after the March 28, 1964 magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Alaska, which killed ten people in the city and destroyed much of the business district. The city is fortunate today that the tsunami hit at low tide, or else water levels would have been five feet higher in the city during the wave. The tide gauge at Crescent City, CA (Figure 2) shows that at least 18 separate tsunami waves have hit the harbor as of 2:45pm PST. The first wave came at about 15:50 UTC (7:50am PST), was about 2.5 feet high, and was not preceded by the ocean falling and water being sucked out to sea. After this initial wave, the ocean level dropped rapidly by 8 feet, and then a series of large waves began rushing in and out, with up to a 13 foot difference between low water and high water. The rapid speed of the in-rushing and outflowing waves were what did the damage to the harbor and its boats. The largest wave came at 17 UTC (9am PST), an hour and 10 minutes after the initial wave, and was 8.1 feet high. Fortunately, this wave came near the time of low tide, and the wave was only 2 feet above last night's high tide mark. Tidal range between low and high tide is about 5 feet at Crescent City. The tide is now rising, and new tsunami waves with height of 3 - 4 feet are still rushing in and out, with the one just before 21 UTC (1pm PST) reaching a height about 2 feet above high tide.

Figure 3. Propagation of the March 11, 2011 Honshu tsunami was computed with the NOAA forecast method using the MOST model with the tsunami source inferred from DART® data. From the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research, located at NOAA PMEL in Seattle, WA.

Portlight.org is mobilizing to provide financial assistance to people with disabilities affected by the disaster, and there will undoubtedly be a huge relief effort by numerous charities in the wake of the earthquake. Your financial contributions and prayers for those affected will be valuable.

Jeff Masters

Waves (Feather3)

During our tsunami warning that had been downgraded to an advisory, this afternoon. It was getting closer to high tide, but it was strange, watching the surges: one minute, the beach was bare, and within minutes, a surge would build up as wave after wave, low, but surging, would inundate the beaches....more shots to come.

Categories: Earthquake

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651. SquallyWx 21:57 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
One danger that may be overlooked is the lack of food. They are showing people in Tokyo trying to find food and they can't. This reminds me that I need to take a look at my emergency food rations for myself. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

652. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod) 22:03 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Member Since: 15 juillet 2006 Posts: 143 Comments: 40375

654. SquallyWx 22:10 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
I can't figure out how to upload an avatar for myself. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

655. srada 22:11 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting jwh250: Okay thats scary..I just hope this will not come into play.. Member Since: 17 août 2006 Posts: 1 Comments: 772

656. SquallyWx 22:15 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting jwh250: This is almost turning me off to nuclear power. I thought it was so safe. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

657. SquallyWx 22:18 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
If post 653 were to come to fruition, what would happen to those living on the west coast of the USA? Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

658. islander101010 22:18 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
they made better and cheaper cars than the american companies for yrs one of the reasons why was cheap energy Member Since: 11 septembre 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 2963

659. pottery 22:19 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting jwh250: Anyone want to explain RADS ? How serious is 750 RAD?? Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

660. pottery 22:21 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting islander101010: they made better and cheaper cars than the american companies for yrs one of the reasons why was cheap energy Not cheap energy. Everyone had that... The vehicles were better Engineered. Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

661. EYEStoSEA 22:21 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting pottery: Anyone want to explain RADS ? How serious is 750 RAD?? Just waiting for some "brain" to explain it,also. Member Since: 16 septembre 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 1490

662. atmoaggie 22:25 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Huh. I didn't realize that Greece through Iran was that seismically active. Member Since: 16 août 2007 Posts: 6 Comments: 12461

663. number4steel 22:25 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
it can happen here, just research realfoot lake in tenn. in was in the early 1800's i belive when this lake was formed by an earthqauke. because it was frontier country, there was never an exact number on the loss of life , but it isnt frontier country anymore, and that area is overdue Member Since: 29 août 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 61

664. hydrus 22:33 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting number4steel: it can happen here, just research realfoot lake in tenn. in was in the early 1800's i belive when this lake was formed by an earthqauke. because it was frontier country, there was never an exact number on the loss of life , but it isnt frontier country anymore, and that area is overdue That was the New Madrid earthquake. Check it out, its worth a look....Link Member Since: 27 septembre 2007 Posts: 1 Comments: 14238

665. atmoaggie 22:33 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting number4steel: it can happen here, just research realfoot lake in tenn. in was in the early 1800's i belive when this lake was formed by an earthqauke. because it was frontier country, there was never an exact number on the loss of life , but it isnt frontier country anymore, and that area is overdue Of course it can happen here. It can happen anywhere. Even my south Louisiana high school had a fault line running through campus (discovered after a few buildings were constructed straddling it, unfortunately). And that's certainly not a place one usually associates with moving fault lines, but I can assure you that those buildings were condemned and bulldozed 35 years after construction due to half of each moving 8 inches the other half didn't. (Which was obvious from the outside when you could stick your whole arm into the gaps between the bricks...) Member Since: 16 août 2007 Posts: 6 Comments: 12461

666. nrtiwlnvragn 22:34 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting pottery: Anyone want to explain RADS ? How serious is 750 RAD?? That map is a hoax. Member Since: 23 septembre 2005 Posts: 11 Comments: 8916

667. aquak9 22:35 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting SquallyWx: If post 653 were to come to fruition, what would happen to those living on the west coast of the USA? They'd grow extra arms, and have antennae -no wait, that's plutonium and uranium. This is cesium. Uhmm... (thinks hard) - slow death for everyone affected. Member Since: 13 août 2005 Posts: 163 Comments: 24996

669. atmoaggie 22:38 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting aquak9: They'd grow extra arms, and have antennae -no wait, that's plutonium and uranium. This is cesium. Uhmm... (thinks hard) - slow death for everyone affected. Isn't that the default condition, anyway? Just sayin' atmo goes back to slowly dying...as if he stopped it somehow Member Since: 16 août 2007 Posts: 6 Comments: 12461

670. EYEStoSEA 22:39 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Well...we all know what we need to do to anyone who post a "hoax" pic at this time. Use the button folks. Member Since: 16 septembre 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 1490

671. atmoaggie 22:42 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting EYEStoSEA: Well...we all know what we need to do to anyone who post a "hoax" pic at this time. Use the button folks. And...how exactly would that person know it was a hoax? Or are you insinuating that he or she created it? Member Since: 16 août 2007 Posts: 6 Comments: 12461

672. CycloneUK 22:44 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Member Since: 5 Mars 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 39

673. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod) 22:44 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting pottery: Anyone want to explain RADS ? How serious is 750 RAD?? Member Since: 15 juillet 2006 Posts: 143 Comments: 40375

674. PcolaDan 22:44 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Live translated to english broadcast. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/7497266 Member Since: 22 août 2008 Posts: 12 Comments: 6008

675. EYEStoSEA 22:44 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting atmoaggie: And...how exactly would that person know it was a hoax? Or are you insinuating that he or she created it? I'd make sure it wasn't a hoax before I posted A pic as disturbing as that one. Member Since: 16 septembre 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 1490

676. aquak9 22:45 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
heh heh heh hi atmo poor attempt at humor here (waves white flag) don't taze me, bro Member Since: 13 août 2005 Posts: 163 Comments: 24996

677. nrtiwlnvragn 22:48 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting EYEStoSEA: Well...we all know what we need to do to anyone who post a "hoax" pic at this time. Use the button folks. Eh, the poster may not know it is a hoax. It has been circulating around the internets. Member Since: 23 septembre 2005 Posts: 11 Comments: 8916

678. pottery 22:49 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Post 668, Thank you. I thought as much... LOL Atmo. Slowly dying is the only way to go. Enjoy the ride. Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

679. SquallyWx 22:50 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting nrtiwlnvragn: Eh, the poster may not know it is a hoax. It has been circulating around the internets. I am glad it is a hoax. If that were real, then I would think the media would be sounding the alarm. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

680. Neapolitan 22:51 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
That hoax graphic showing the radiation plume was posted here early this morning, and almost immediately yanked by the poster after it was found to be false. Clarification: 2212: It is the number three reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 plant where officials have just announced that the cooling system has failed. This morning's blast took place at the number one reactor at the same plant. "All the functions to keep cooling water levels in No. 3 reactor have failed at the Fukushima No. 1 plant," a spokesman for the operator said. This contradicts earlier reports that it was Plant No. 3. Member Since: 8 novembre 2009 Posts: 4 Comments: 11142

681. pottery 22:51 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting KEEPEROFTHEGATE: Well, this is a different story.... ?? Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

682. SquallyWx 22:53 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
CNN says a meltdown may be under way. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

683. pottery 22:54 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting Neapolitan: That hoax graphic showing the radiation plume was posted here early this morning, and almost immediately yanked by the poster after it was found to be false. Clarification: 2212: It is the number three reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 plant where officials have just announced that the cooling system has failed. This morning's blast took place at the number one reactor at the same plant. "All the functions to keep cooling water levels in No. 3 reactor have failed at the Fukushima No. 1 plant," a spokesman for the operator said. This contradicts earlier reports that it was Plant No. 3. In any event, this is a most serious situation. It sounds like it is getting worse as well. With faults in the cooling systems, how do you stop it melting down? Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

684. SquallyWx 22:54 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
They are saying it is catastrophic failure and that widespread radiation may be released. I sure hope everyone has evacuated. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

685. aquak9 22:57 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Squally- you are new here, right? don't post stuff unless you are 100% sure, ok? cause folks here, will gladly tear you a new one. Pottery, Nea, NorthernEyewall- hello friends. Just an unsettled soul here, looking for hope. Maybe I should look for chocolate instead. Member Since: 13 août 2005 Posts: 163 Comments: 24996

686. SquallyWx 22:58 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting aquak9: Squally- you are new here, right? don't post stuff unless you are 100% sure, ok? cause folks here, will gladly tear you a new one. Pottery, Nea, NorthernEyewall- hello friends. Just an unsettled soul here, looking for hope. Maybe I should look for chocolate instead. I am new, but have watched for months. I am only reporting exactly what CNN is reporting. Member Since: 25 janvier 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 63

687. nrtiwlnvragn 23:00 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
TEPCO: preparing to release radiation from second reactor Member Since: 23 septembre 2005 Posts: 11 Comments: 8916

688. pottery 23:00 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting aquak9: Squally- you are new here, right? don't post stuff unless you are 100% sure, ok? cause folks here, will gladly tear you a new one. Pottery, Nea, NorthernEyewall- hello friends. Just an unsettled soul here, looking for hope. Maybe I should look for chocolate instead. Me too. Member Since: 24 octobre 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20703

689. PcolaDan 23:00 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
wow (click picture for much larger image) Member Since: 22 août 2008 Posts: 12 Comments: 6008

690. PcolaDan 23:03 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Quoting SquallyWx: CNN says a meltdown may be under way. from CNN [5:48 p.m. ET, 7:48 a.m. Tokyo] A meltdown may be under way at one of Fukushima Daiichi's nuclear power reactors, an official with Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency told CNN Sunday. Member Since: 22 août 2008 Posts: 12 Comments: 6008

692. sunlinepr 23:04 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Where is the debate in the blog about fossil fuels vs. Nuclear energy?? A couple of weeks ago that was the hot debate here... Considering Japan as a highly advanced society and the role it plays for the world as a model to implement... The question is: In a situation like this, is it really advanced? What model can mankind implement that is really the best answer to our social needs? A meltdown is a catastrophic failure of the reactor core, with a potential for widespread radiation release. However, Toshiro Bannai, director of the agency's international affairs office, expressed confidence that efforts to control the crisis would prove successful. Meanwhile, a second reactor at the same facility failed shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday, the Tokyo Electric Power Company said, according to TV Asahi. The power company said it was having difficulty cooling the reactor and may need to release radioactive steam in order to relieve pressure. Member Since: 2 août 2010 Posts: 19 Comments: 8439

693. RitaEvac 23:06 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Better believe they're mapping out this crap, they have to behind the scenes so they know who gets impacted, they train for this stuff Member Since: 14 juillet 2008 Posts: 1 Comments: 8874

695. RitaEvac 23:07 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
I deal with geospatial technology and I work with SSI data about overpressures in a refinery Member Since: 14 juillet 2008 Posts: 1 Comments: 8874

696. sunlinepr 23:10 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Radiation physics [radiation absorbed dose] Energy imparted to a dosed material, per unit mass, identically defined in 1953 within Metric-c.g.s. as: 1 rad = 100 erg·g-1 = 102 × 10-7 J·(10-3 × kg)-1 = 10-2 J·kg-1 then redefined in the last form for the SI in 1970. Not coherent in either system, it was succeeded in 1975, within the SI, by the coherent gray, 1 rad = 0.01 Gy. The 1978 decision of the CIPM considering it acceptable to continue to use the rad with the SI still stands. History The rad began, in 1918, as the dose required to kill a mouse, clearly an imprecise but usefully indicative amount. It received sharper definition in 1953, the International Commission on Radiology defining it in metric-c.g.s. terms as above. In 1956, it was accepted as the general unit of dose, displacing the roentgen in its use for x-rays; the rad is about 10% smaller than the roentgen, the precise relationship depending on the dosed material. Also expressed as 1 rad = 62.4 × 106MeV g-1. Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/rapid-application-dev elopment#ixzz1GQhmXuOS Member Since: 2 août 2010 Posts: 19 Comments: 8439

698. sunlinepr 23:12 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
Radiation will follow this path... Member Since: 2 août 2010 Posts: 19 Comments: 8439

699. Ossqss 23:12 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
I knew I should not have opened this laptop up ☼¿☼ Seems another acting up further ...... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la- fgw-japan-quake-reactor-20110313,0,3933329.story arrrgh ! Find koozie and fill it time Member Since: 12 juin 2005 Posts: 6 Comments: 8154

700. aquak9 23:13 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
ok squally...no intent here for cruelty. I believe CNN states this as being conjecture...Possibility, operative word being "may" We have a blogger here named spetrm, who is indeed doing radiation forecasts on a ship in the Pacific. He is USNavy, God Bless him. Pottery- may I pull up a chair next to you, sip some grape juice, and relax a moment? we'll listen to the breeze in the trees, and pretend like it's all another pretty evening. Member Since: 13 août 2005 Posts: 163 Comments: 24996

701. hurigo 23:13 GMT le 12 Mars 2011
BBC Link follows (if I am skilled enough to present it). Includes articles that explain what meltdown means as well as other helpful info. Link Member Since: 9 octobre 2005 Posts: 96 Comments: 6608

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