Conceptual Outline

    The 1964 Alaska earthquake offers an ideal baseline for testing tsunami models because of its historical significance in the North Pacific, as well as the widespread documentation of its effects. Because it was the second largest earthquake in history, it also serves as a good upper bound on the potential magnitude of future tsunamis. The effects of the Alaska tsunami caused boats to sink in New Orleans, and oscillations were even noticed in well water in South Africa (USGS website). I chose to compare it to a hypothetical Cascadia earthquake, because they present a good comparison between teletsunamis and local tsunamis, and are both appropriate in a British Columbia context. The occurrence of a major Casacadia Subduction Zone earthquake is more a question of when than if, and understanding the dynamics of the potential tsunami that could be triggered as a result is important for emergency planning. Interactions with bathymetry and reflected waves as the wave refracts around the Olympic peninsula into the narrow channels of Alberni Inlet, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget sound will affect the distribution of maximum wave and runup heights. This in turn affects the distribution of risk to communities already affected by the earthquake. During the Alaska tsunami of 1964, the most populated regions of southwestern BC were sheltered from its devastating effects, but this may not be the case for a tsunami generated by a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, which would be approaching the coast from a very different angle. In this project, I present a simple model of the 1964 Alaska tsunami, and compare its approach to the Strait of Juan de Fuca with that of a hypothetical Cascadia tsunami.