Texas A&M University at Galveston hosts national workshop to prepare tsunami prone areas for impact    

April 1, 2011

On March 11, one of the costliest natural disasters in history occurred when Japan’s northeast coast was struck by a tsunami. In the wake of this disaster, world scientists have been working to improve tsunami detection and assessment. However, before the tsunami ever hit Japan, researchers at the Texas A&M University at Galveston Maritime Systems Engineering Department were working to understand the behavior and forecast the occurrence and magnitude of tsunamis. Beginning March 30, the university will host two tsunami workshops with world-renowned tsunami experts presenting their research.

The workshops are sponsored by the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, a workgroup within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The program was created by the U.S. Congress in 1995 to minimize the impact of tsunamis upon human life and property through hazard assessment, warning guidance, and mitigation.

The specific goals of the workshop bring national and international experts together to address major aspects of landslide-induced tsunamis. Experts participating in the workshops are researchers who use physics, mathematics and computer models to create virtual tsunamis. These virtual models are designed to predict the impact of real tsunamis.

The first workshop focuses on mapping and modeling tsunamis. It will run from 8 am to 5:15 pm, March 30 through March 31 (Wednesday through Thursday), and 8 am to noon, April 1 (Friday). This workshop will take place on the third floor of the Oceans and Coastal Sciences Building (OSCB 3029).   

The second workshop focuses on the behavior of underwater landslides related to tsunami production. This workshop is slated from 8 am to 5 pm.