Tsunami researchers hunt for clues about the next big Pacific Northwest quake
A team of scientists is scouring the ocean floor for ancient sediment cores that hold secrets about the region’s history of massive earthquakes and tsunamis. The goal is to better prepare for the next major event, which could strike at any moment.
The researchers are using a combination of old-school tech like coring equipment and state-of-the-art sensors to sample sediment from the seafloor. They’re focusing on areas where earthquakes and tsunamis have hit hardest in the past, such as the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where a major quake and tsunami devastated the region in 1700.
“We really don’t have a good understanding of the frequency and frequency of tsunamis in this region,” says Dr. Craig Weaver, a geologist with the University of Oregon. “By analyzing these sediment cores, we can learn more about the region’s history of natural disasters and better prepare for the next one.”
The researchers are also looking for signs of an ancient tsunami’s impact on the seafloor. “Tsunamis leave behind a signature in the sediment, like a fingerprint,” explains Dr. Weaver. “By analyzing these signatures, we can reconstruct the history of past tsunamis and better understand what triggered them.”
The team has already collected some promising data, including a core that appears to show evidence of a massive tsunami that hit the region around 2,000 years ago.
“This is a great starting point for our research,” says Dr. Weaver. “We’re excited to continue analyzing the data and learning more about the region’s history of natural disasters. The more we know, the better prepared we’ll be to respond to the next major event.”
The research has the potential to not only improve tsunami preparedness but also shed new light on the region’s geological history. With this information, scientists may be able to better understand the underlying forces shaping the region’s landscape and provide crucial insights for reducing the risk of future disasters.