Otro
Understanding the tsunami with a simple model
Registro en:
European Journal of Physics. Bristol: Iop Publishing Ltd, v. 27, n. 4, p. 855-863, 2006.
0143-0807
10.1088/0143-0807/27/4/016
WOS:000239626300016
Autor
Helene, O.
Yamashita, Marcelo Takeshi
Resumen
In this paper, we use the approximation of shallow water waves (Margaritondo G 2005 Eur. J. Phys. 26 401) to understand the behaviour of a tsunami in a variable depth. We deduce the shallow water wave equation and the continuity equation that must be satisfied when a wave encounters a discontinuity in the sea depth. A short explanation about how the tsunami hit the west coast of India is given based on the refraction phenomenon. Our procedure also includes a simple numerical calculation suitable for undergraduate students in physics and engineering.