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SCIENCE OF
TSUNAMI HAZARDS
The International Journal of the Tsunami Society
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Tsunami
Society
International
Journal
SCIENCE OF TSUNAMI HAZARDS
PRESS RELEASES
PAST PRESS RELEASES
Tsunami Society International Awards
Release Date: Sept. 6, 2012
Tsunami Society International held its 5th Tsunami Symposium at the European Commission's - Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy. The Symposium was highlighted by a banquet and an awards ceremony held on the 4th of September 2012 at the Atlantis Resort in Arona, a wonderful site on the other side of Lake Maggiore. The following scientists were recognized for theiroriginal and outstanding research contributions to Tsunami Science.
Dr. Charles L. Mader was presented with the Tsunami Society International’s life-long award for his research work at the U.S. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, his close co-operation on tsunami research with scientists at the University of Hawaii, for his publication of books on "Numerical Modeling of Detonations" and the two editions of "Numerical Modeling of Water Waves"; the latter two books pertaining on what is being done with state-of-the-art, high-performance computers which allow for rapid solution of highly complex Navier-Stokes and other equations that describe wave generation, wave energy propagation, as well as the adaptation of new codes that can result in accurate simulations of waves generated from a variety of source mechanisms - whether earthquakes, landslides, explosions, or the impact of asteroids.
Dr. Alessandro Annunziato, of EC-JRC was presented the award of Tsunami Society International for his work on Nuclear Engineering and more specifically on the Design Basis Accident Analysis of reactors and Fuel Coolant Interaction in case of Severe Accidents, as well as his involvement at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC) in Ispra, Italy, in the development of Crisis Management Technologies and Tools and all the automatic procedures for the analysis of Tsunamis in real time that is currently in use at the Crisis Room of EC-JRC.
Professor Barbara Thielen-Willige was presented with the award of Tsunami Society International for her work at Berlin University of Technology, Institute of Applied Geosciences and at the Bureau of Applied Geoscientific Remote Sensing in Germany, in the fields of GeoInformation Systems (GIS) and the integrated geomorphologic and geologic evaluation of satellite imageries and aerial photographs. More specifically, for her use of GIS integrated geo-scientific evaluation of remote sensing data and the use of weighted overlay methods in ArcGIS for the detection of areas susceptible to tsunami flooding due to their morphometric properties.
Professor Tomoya Shibayama was presented with the award of Tsunami Society International for his outstanding research work in Civil, Environmental and Coastal Engineering at Waseda University in Tokyo and as Director of the Composed Crisis Institute, for his thorough evaluation of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami disaster with emphasis on future coastal protection that will help mitigate the impact of tsunamis in Japan.
Professor Dan Palermo was presented with the award of Tsunami Society International for his engineering research work at the University of Ottawa on tsunami loads on infrastructure facilities and on experimental and numerical modeling of tsunami-induced hydrodynamic forces on structures.
Professor Efim Pelinovsky was presented with the award of Tsunami Society International for his research work on fluid dynamics with emphasis on tsunamis, at the Nizhny Novgorod State University, the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novgorod, as well for his research at the State Technical University and at the Higher School of Economics.
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FIFTH INTERNATIONAL TSUNAMI SYMPOSIUM
 September 3-5, 2012, Ispra, Italy
Release date: June 12, 2012
Contact: Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis at drgeorgepc@yahoo.com
HONOLULU, HAWAII – As previously announced, Tsunami Society International will hold its Fifth Tsunami Symposium (ITS ISPRA 2012) on September 1-3, 2012, at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC)in Ispra, Italy, . The Symposium will focus primarily on Tsunami Risk Analysis and Disaster Management, and on the need for a holistic approach in coping and addressing also the array of tsunami risks facing vulnerable areas in all of the world’s oceans and seas.
Tsunami Society International expanded the themes of its Tsunami Symposium to include – in addition to theoretical and technical research papers – reports on the social dimensions of needed policies and humanitarian actions in helping with early warnings and disaster recovery. Furthermore, in view of the recent (2011) tsunami disaster in Japan and the destruction of the Fukushima-Daichi nuclear power plant, the Symposium will also address the tsunami risks to nuclear power plants, as well as evaluate the preparedness measures instituted after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. The expanded scope of the Tsunami Symposium will provide a unique opportunity for participants to contribute more effectively and make recommendations towards strategies and synergies needed in mitigating the destructive impacts of tsunamis around the globe.
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FIFTH INTERNATIONAL TSUNAMI SYMPOSIUM - Of TSUNAMI SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL (3.8MB) 1st Announcement
Compressed Brochure of 1st Announcement (385KB)
SEPTEMBER 1 - 3, 2012 ISPRA - ITALY
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PRESS RELEASE- FOURTH INTERNATIONAL TSUNAMI SYMPOSIUM
25-29 July 2010, Toronto, Canada
 Release date: July 10, 2010
Contact: Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis at drgeorgepc@yahoo.com
HONOLULU, HAWAII – Tsunami Society International will hold its 4th Tsunami Symposium in conjunction with the Ninth U.S. National and the Tenth Canadian Conferences on Earthquake Engineering. The joint conferences will take place on July 25-29, 2010 at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The US-based Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) and the Canadian Association for Earthquake Engineering (CAEE) are the organizers.
Under the theme “Reaching Beyond Borders,” the joint conferences will bring together more than 1,200 scientists, academics and professionals from about 70 countries representing a broad range of disciplines, including architecture, structural engineering, seismology, geology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, tsunami, business, public policy, social sciences, regional planning, emergency response planning, and regulation, as well as leading government representatives from the United States and Canada.
Those attending the joint conferences will share the latest research results, knowledge and techniques in mitigating the destructive impacts of earthquakes and tsunamis. Detailed conference program is available online at http://2010eqconf.org/program.
Several presentations will highlight the conferences’ opening plenary session, on Sunday July 25 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. “The 21st Century Goal for Seismic Safety: Resilient Cities,” will be discussed by Chris D. Poland, Chairman, CEO and Senior Principal of Degenkolb Engineers in San Francisco, California. Roland D. DeVall, Senior Consultant with Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd, in Vancouver, British Columbia, will follow with opinions on “The Role of Structural Consultants and Design Practitioners in the Development of Canadian Earthquake Codes.”
The sessions of the 4th International Tsunami Symposium will be held mainly on July 27-28 at the Marine Room of the Westin Hotel. Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis will chair the Symposium. The Symposium will include presentations with interdisciplinary themes related to architecture, structural engineering, seismology, geology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, numerical and physical modeling, societal impacts, regional planning, warning systems and emergency response planning and regulation. The overall theme of the Symposium is: “Advances in Tsunami Research and Technology”.
A special, joint conference session will be dedicated to the Haiti and Chile earthquakes and tsunamis of 2010 on Wednesday July 28, from 8:00am to 9:30am. The first part of the session will feature presentations on the effects that both earthquakes had on reinforced concrete buildings and soils and will include insights on social science aspects of the earthquakes and the correlation of ground motion with damage. Moderated by Reginald DesRoches, Associate Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology and leader of EERI’s post-earthquake investigations team to Haiti, the session will provide first-hand insights and experiences from experts who traveled to the earthquake-stricken regions in the weeks following the quakes.
The second part of the special conference session will continue in the Marine Room with two more plenary presentations on the tsunami impacts of the January 12 and the February 27, 2010 disasters that struck Haiti and Chile. Professors Murat Saatcioglu and Ioan Nistor of Ottawa University will speak on the “Engineering Significance and Lessons Learned from the February 27 Chilean Tsunami”. Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis, President of Tsunami Society International, will present an “Overview of both the Chile and Haiti 2010 Earthquakes and Tsunamis and an Assessment of Future Risks.
A Tsunami Award ceremony will be held at the Gala Luncheon of the Joint Conferences on July 27th. On Thursday, July 29, Dr. Tad S. Murty, will present the General Assembly with the summary of the results of the Tsunami Symposium.
Participants to the joint conferences will have an opportunity to attend over 100 technical sessions presenting state-of-the art papers on earthquake engineering research and practice. Special sessions and interactive panel discussions will address the Capacity for Seismic Risk Reduction in Developing Countries, Seismic Safety of Schools, Seismic Risk Assessment and Management of Civil Infrastructure, Seismic Design Codes in the U.S. and Canada, Seismic Risk Reduction of Nonstructural Building Components, and Structural Health Monitoring.
Colin and Julie Angus, joint recipients of the National Geographic 2007 Adventurer of the Year award, will be the special guest speakers at the joint conferences’ banquet on Wednesday, July 28, at Toronto’s Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex.
Technical tours will treat participants to an insider’s look at engineering landmarks such as Toronto’s Sky Dome and its “world’s first” fully retractable roof, and the CN Tower, the signature icon of Toronto’s skyline, and the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas.
An all-day post-conference field trip on Friday, July 30, will tour the Niagara Power Plant and Niagara Falls in the morning, followed by lunch at Queens Landing and a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the afternoon.
Conference co-chairs are Andre Filiatrault, Professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, and director of MCEER, and Ahmed Ghobarah, Professor of Civil Engineering and Joe Ng/JNE Consulting Chair in Design, Construction and Management in Infrastructure Renewal, at McMaster University. Technical Program Committee co-chairs are Shamim Sheikh, Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, and Catherine French, I.T. Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
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2010 US-CANADA Joint Conference on Earthquake Engineering - July 25-29, 2010, Toronto, Canada.
Tsunami Society International is pleased to co-sponsor the 9th US National and 10th Canadian Conference on Earthquake Engineering that is being hosted by EERI and The Canadian Association for Earthquake Engineering. The conference is titled "Reaching Beyond Borders" and will provide an opportunity for both researchers and practitioners to share the latest knowledge and techniques for understanding and mitigating the effects of earthquakes. The conference will be a a unique environment that will facilitate synergy between U.S. and Canadian colleagues, as well as other participants from around the world. This conference will highlight a broad range of disciplines, including architecture, structural engineering, seismology, geology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, business, public policy, social sciences, regional planning, emergency response planning, and regulation. The Fourth International Tsunami Symposium will be held as the Tsunami Session of the joint conferences.
For more information, see the event website http://2010eqconf.org/
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PRESS RELEASE ON MEGA TSUNAMI HAZARDS
TSUNAMI SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON MEGA TSUNAMI HAZARDS
January 15, 2003
The mission of the Tsunami Society includes "the dissemination of knowledge about tsunamis to scientists, officials, and the public". We have established a committee of private, university, and government scientists to accomplish part of this goal by correcting misleading or invalid information released to public about this hazard. We can supply both valid, correct and important information and advice to the public, and the names of reputable scientists active in the field of tsunami, who can provide such information.
Most recently, the Discovery Channel has replayed a program alleging potential destruction of coastal areas of the Atlantic by tsunami waves which might be generated in the near future by a volcanic collapse in the Canary Islands. Other reports have involved a smaller but similar catastrophe from Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawai`i. They like to call these occurences "mega tsunamis". We would like to halt the scaremongering from these unfounded reports. We wish to provide the media with factual information so that the public can be properly informed about actual hazards of tsunamis and their mitigation.
Here are a set of facts, agreed on by committee members, about the claims in these reports:
- While the active volcano of Cumbre Vieja on Las Palma is expected to erupt again, it will not send a large part of the island into the ocean, though small landslides may occur. The Discovery program does not bring out in the interviews that such volcanic collapses are extremely rare events, separated in geologic time by thousands or even millions of years.
- No such event - a mega tsunami - has occurred in either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans in recorded history. NONE.
- The colossal collapses of Krakatau or Santorin (the two most similar known happenings) generated catastrophic waves in the immediate area but hazardous waves did not propagate to distant shores. Carefully performed numerical and experimental model experiments on such events and of the postulated Las Palma event verify that the relatively short waves from these small, though intense, occurrences do not travel as do tsunami waves from a major earthquake.
- The U.S. volcano observatory, situated on Kilauea, near the current eruption, states that there is no likelihood of that part of the island breaking off into the ocean.
- These considerations have been published in journals and discussed at conferences sponsored by the Tsunami Society.
Some papers on this subject include:
"Evaluation of the threat of Mega Tsunami Generation From ....Volcanoes on La Palma ... and Hawaii", George Pararas-Carayannis, in Science of Tsunami Hazards, Vol 20, No.5, pages 251-277, 2002.
"Modeling the La Palma Landslide Tsunami", Charles L. Mader, in Science of Tsunami Hazards, Vol. 19, No. 3, pages 160-180, 2001.
"Volcano Growth and the Evolution of the Island of Hawaii", J.G. Moore and D.A.Clague, in the Geologic Society of America Bulletin, 104, 1992.
Committee members for this report include:
Mr. George Curtis, Hilo, HI (Committee Chairman) 808-963-6670
Dr. Tad Murty, Ottawa, Canada, 613-731-8900
Dr. Laura Kong, Honolulu, HI, 808-532-6422
Dr. George Pararas-Carayannis, Honolulu, HI, 808-781-6164
Dr. Charles L. Mader, Los Alamos, NM, 808-396-9855
and all can comment on this or other tsunami matters.
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SCIENCE OF
TSUNAMI HAZARDS
The International Journal of The Tsunami Society
ISSN 8755-6839
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