Protection Guidelines:

Procedures

Research Cruises:

2005

2004

2003

Marine Mammal Protection Research

Seismic Research Contributes to Early Warning Systems

Mexico Crater Yields New Research

Related Links:

Understanding Ocean Acoustics

Report from the National Academies

Nationwide Lecture Series on Noise Impacts (PDF Download)

Landslides and Tsunamis

• In 1998, over 2,000 lives were lost when an earthquake-generated submarine landslide caused a tsunami along the coast of northern Papua New Guinea, a region known to be seismically active. To understand the dynamics of the events that created these deadly waves, researchers aboard the R/V Maurice Ewing used acoustic technology to map the ocean floor landscape. These maps are being applied to wave studies to understand the forces that generate such deadly tsunamis, which can occur in many coastal regions around the globe. A scientifically based understanding of the potential for natural disasters is indispensable for regional planners charged with developing appropriate disaster response measures in populated areas.

Tsunamis are devastating to coastal towns, which are typically the most populated regions of a country. In 1963, a deadly tsunami overtook the shores of Kodiak, Alaska, with such force that fishing boats were catapulted onto land. (Click on picture for larger image) Photograph: NOAA

• Through underwater mapping of the ocean floor around the Hawaiian Islands, researchers discovered that over time, enormous chunks of land have broken away, sliding into the ocean, possibly causing massive tsunamis. Our understanding of the history of land change in this region can be used to forecast and plan for future inevitable natural hazards.