A New Way to Trigger a Tsunami
After centuries in repose, volcanoes may reawaken, clear their throats, let off steam, and, if provoked, explode. As in human fits of rage, a volcano’s violent outburst is often self-amplifying: Their response to a small disturbance can feed on itself, spiraling into a tantrum. As a result, a furious eruption can arise from a relatively modest trigger, making some outcomes—like a devastating tsunami—unpredictable.
are always formidable, but they’re especially perilous underwater, where cause and effect may become published in vividly illustrates this, taking advantage of new imaging data and simulations to reconstruct the murky events beneath the Aegean Sea that caused a destructive tsunami in 1650. The results could help make tsunami-warning systems more effective, the researchers say, because reliable early warnings depend on understanding the temperament of submerged volcanoes.
