HR: 0800h
AN: S51D-1037    [Abstracts]
TI: Preliminary investigation of the hazard faced by Western Australia from tsunami generated along the Sunda Arc
AU: Burbidge, D
EM: david.burbidge@ga.gov.au
AF: Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601 Austria
AU: * Cummins, P R
EM: phil.cummins@ga.gov.au
AF: Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601 Austria
AB: Since the Boxing Day tsunami various countries surrounding the Indian Ocean have been investigating the potential hazard from trans-Indian Ocean tsunami generated along the Sunda Arc, south of Indonesia. This study presents some preliminary estimates of the tsunami hazard faced by Western Australia from tsunami generated along the Arc. To estimate the hazard, a suite of tsunami spaced evenly along the subduction zone to the south of Indonesia were numerically modelled. Offshore wave heights from tsunami generated in this region are significantly higher along northwestern part of the Western Australian coast from Exmouth to the Kimberly than they are along the rest of the coast south of Exmouth. Due to the offshore bathymetry, the area around Onslow in particular may face a higher tsunami than other areas the West Australian coast. Earthquakes between Java and Timor are likely to produce the greatest hazard to northwest WA. Earthquakes off Sumatra are likely the main source of tsunami hazard to locations south of Exmouth, however the hazard here is likely to be lower than that along the north western part of the West Australian coast. Tsunami generated by other sources (eg large intra-plate events, volcanoes, landslides and asteroids) could threaten other parts of the coast.
DE: 0468 Natural hazards
DE: 1031 Subduction zone processes (3060, 3613, 8170, 8413)
DE: 4564 Tsunamis and storm surges
DE: 7223 Earthquake interaction, forecasting, and prediction (1217, 1242)
SC: Seismology [S]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005