The Australian tsunami database

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in the number of peer-reviewed publications, critical reviews and searchable web-based databases, since the first substantial tsunami database for Australia was published in 2007. This review represents a complete reorganization and restructuring of previous work coupled with the addition of new data that takes the number of events from 57 (including 2 erroneous events) to 145. Several significant errors have been corrected including mistaken run-up heights for the event of 19 August 1977, Sumba Island, Indonesia, that suggested it was the largest tsunami in Australia’s history. The largest historical event in the database is now the 17 July 2006, Java, Indonesia, tsunami that had a run-up height of 7.90 m at Steep Point, Western Australia. Although estimated wave heights of 40 ft (∼13 m) were noted for the 8 April 1911 event at Warrnambool, Victoria, no run-up data were provided. One of the more interesting findings has been the occurrence of at least 11 deaths, albeit for events that are generally poorly defined. Data gathered during the construction of this database were rigorously reviewed and as such several previous palaeotsunami entries have been removed and other potentially new ones discarded. The reasons for inclusion or exclusion of data are discussed, and it is acknowledged that while there has been an almost three-fold increase in the number of entries the database is still incomplete. With this in mind the database architecture has been brought in line with others in the region with the ultimate goal of merging them all in order to provide a larger, interrogatable and updatable data set. In essence, the goal is to enhance our understanding of the national and regional tsunami hazard (and risk) and to move towards an open-source database.

Applications of geochemistry in tsunami research: A review

“…Evaporation and capillary action however resulted in enrichment of salts at the surface in early 2012, compared to the lower concentrations reported four months prior. In addition, the downward leaching of water-leachable ions was found to be impeded in areas with a low-permeable hard pan, a common feature under rice paddy fields, a process that could prolong the long-lasting impact of tsunami inundation on rice farming (Chagué-Goff et al 2014). Removal of the soil above the hard pan before the laying out of organic-rich uncontaminated soil has been observed in March 2016 in the study area(Chagué-Goff et al 2017) Ono et al (2014).…”

“…Evaporation and capillary action were also found to contribute to a short-term increase in salinity during the winter months (Chagué- Goff et al 2014). In the polar regions the decline in salinity probably only occurs during the short summer season, as the ground is frozen for most of the year.…”

“…(Photos Catherine Chagué-Goff). of sand and mud deposits on top of the paddy fields coupled with extensive salinisation resulted in rice farming being halted at least until 2013 in most of the area north of Sendai airport, while remediation measures including salt flushing took place (Chagué-Goff et al 2014). Temporal changes were observed, with a general decrease of water-leachable ions with time, associated with lateral and downward leaching, most probably due to precipitation.…”

“…Temporal changes were observed, with a general decrease of water-leachable ions with time, associated with lateral and downward leaching, most probably due to precipitation. When salts leached downward, they can also reach groundwater, leading to contamination, also having adverse effects on rice farming (Chagué-Goff et al 2014). Evaporation and capillary action however resulted in enrichment of salts at the surface in early 2012, compared to the lower concentrations reported four months prior.…”

“…occurred for which evidence has been reported, such those associated with asteroid impacts in Western Australia 3.7 Ga ago (e.g Glikson 2004;Goff and Chagué-Goff 2014),. the asteroid impact at the K/Pg boundary 65 Ma ago (e.g.Bourgeois et al 1988), or the Eltanin impact 2.56 Ma ago (e.g.Gersonde et al 1997), here we restrict our review to events that took place in the Holocene.Most studies reporting on historical and/or palaeotsunamis rely on total elemental concentrations obtained using a number of techniques (e.g.…”