Japan: 9.0 Earthquake-Tsunami-Nuclear Reactor Developments #1

[Herding Cats]

Wow,have not heard that yet. I'm glad the Govenor issued that warning and didn't say all clear.


Question for anybody...when thre are large aftershocks like the initial one in Japan(7.something),why don't they create another tsunami? With all the aftershocks you would think it would just continue on. I'm glad it doesn't but curious why not?

I think the wave which hit HA was called a "wrap around", which means that the original wave hit one side, split into two (if there was nowhere to expend the energy, it has to go somewhere), and circled the island, and found less resistance on the far side, combined, and came ashore as an 11 foot wave. I haven't done enough oceanography to completely understand it, but that's my recollection of a potential issue with tsunamis and islands.

As to why they don't keep generating new tsunamis, they probably do. If you drop something into a container, you'll see the ripples hit the side, rebound, come back to the side, rebound. Each time, energy is lost, and the ripple is less.

If you consider the ocean as a big container, it's the same thing, although time is greatly different.

With earthquakes, most aftershocks are not "new" quakes - it's the land settling into a new position. Because of that, there isn't usually a "new" large displacement of land (which is the original "push" a tsunami needs to get going), and while there may be some undersea landslides, they probably are not big enough to disrupt the original wave pattern; perhaps add to it, in some way, but not disrupt it much.

If a new fault responds to new pressure, and a 'new' quake occurs, the whole sequence starts again. Depending on where it happens, it could be counter-energy that blocks the original energy, or complementary energy, which adds to the original energy.

That's as much as I know about it, and I only got a B in oceanography and plate tectonics...so I could quite easily be totally wrong.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Quiche]

Bama is hogging up the TV, lol. jmo

 

[hockeymom]

Herding Cats,
Thank you for that explanation. I think a B is pretty darn good.Better than me!

 

[Herding Cats]

Took it one summer a few years ago, just to keep my head thinking scientifically so that nursing school wouldn't blindside me. Didn't actually want to take it, but...well...it had it's value. LOL.

Glad to give a bit of understanding on this phenomena. It's such a wonder, this great earth of ours...we think we know so much, but then, when you get right down to it, we know very, very little...and it's amazing how this world works.

Best-
Herding

 

[peeples]

Thanks for the links to wiki, I'd never heard of that disaster. I was little when it happened.

 

[trigger]

They just upgraded the earthquake in Japan to a 9....

 

[hollyblue]

The Today Show is covering the tsunami warnings on the west coast right now, for anyone interested.

If everyone could please say a quick prayer for my parents who are on a cruise set to port in San Diego this morning but they can't, so the cruise is going to be in the ocean during the tsunami warning.

My prayers are with all those effected. This is so sad

Your parents are way safer out on the ocean than in port. They probably won't feel or see anything. The disaster happens when the tsunami comes upon shallow(er) waters.

I'm intrigued by them because they are such a natural phenomenon. The power generated and the speed they travel is truly remarkable. Mother Earth is just regenerating herself and sadly populated areas are within those boundaries. My heart and prayers are with those people whose lives have been lost and effected by it.

The threat of the nuclear reactors are more of threat globally...really.

imo

 

[Daisyjane]

I'm probably going to sound dumb.. but oh well LOL
What happens if the 2 nuclear plants that are on fire, go BOOM?

Not dumb at all. I have the very same question. I know nada about science OR geography. I'd never even heard of a tsunami until the Dec 26, 2004 disaster.

 

[Dark Knight]

Why can't Charlie Sheen just fix this thing with his mind???????

(Sorry, a little levity during the crisis.)

 

[trigger]

Bama is hogging up the TV, lol. jmo

Geez enough already. LOL

 

[wfgodot]

Good selection of video overviews of quake damage, aftermath, from several sources, from LA Times site:

Japan earthquake, tsunami kill hundreds, cause crippling damage

 

[Quiche]

This page gives a good idea of what they're enduring...

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.php


eta: notice the fore shock patterns the days before-- those were no slouches either.

 

[Oriah]

Is anyone on WS from Japan? We have a friend over there who lives on that coast and we are very worried about him. We have friends in HI and we live in WA, though not on the coast.

What a horrible day.

We have a couple friends working security detail on the reactors- very hard to get through, phone lines are jammed. I have been in contact with one- truly a horrible day.
If you know someone from another area of the world that can try to call and check on your friend, sometimes that works to get through on a cell.

 

[belimom]

The Today Show is covering the tsunami warnings on the west coast right now, for anyone interested.

If everyone could please say a quick prayer for my parents who are on a cruise set to port in San Diego this morning but they can't, so the cruise is going to be in the ocean during the tsunami warning.

My prayers are with all those effected. This is so sad

Like hollyblue said, they won't notice a thing. The water level just rises... The account I gave earlier was of folks on a sailboat when it happened. They were tied up to a dock but some of them were able to cut their lines and head away from land -- the safest place to be.

Prayers for your parents, and especially for all of those affected.

 

[belimom]

Here's NOAA's site with a map of tsunami warnings:

http://ptwc.weather.gov/

 

[Herding Cats]

Reuters: cooling system is malfunctioning, they have released some steam (which might be slightly radioactive) to handle pressure issues.

Cooling water may have been able to get there before it malfunctioned, and reports are that there is a very small risk of a "melt down" (think Chernybl). Pressure continues to rise, and reporter states that systems are very secure, and very redundant systems, and risk is small.

Serious episode, extraordinary precautions/measures being taken to contain/control release of radiation.

3,000 people in 2 mile radius. Thinking about evacuating them. Trouble w/ ability to move, due to street damage, danger, and continuing aftershock.

AP confirming that there has been a release of radioactive steam to release some pressure.

*From Fox interview, typed ear to finger*

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[coastal]

The Today Show is covering the tsunami warnings on the west coast right now, for anyone interested.

If everyone could please say a quick prayer for my parents who are on a cruise set to port in San Diego this morning but they can't, so the cruise is going to be in the ocean during the tsunami warning.

My prayers are with all those effected. This is so sad

KaylynnCouture,

I'm on the beach in Oceanside, CA (about 35 miles north of San Diego), and happy to report all is well here! It's a beautiful day: hot, windless, and the ocean is calm. I just got back from a walk (sea glass hunting) and the surfers are out again. Your folks should be just fine!

Praying hard for all those in harm's way, and counting my many blessings,

coastal

 

[Daisyjane]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ezziboo/oh-no-japans-cat-island-tashiro-island-li-2tag

OH NO!! Japan's “Cat Island” Tashiro Island Likely Submerged By Tsunami

Per LolcatsDaily ( http://twitter.com/#!/LolcatsDaily ): Tashiro Island, better known as “Cat Island” and home to about 100 elderly human residents and many, many kittens, has likely been submerged by tsunami.

Read about Tashiro 'Cat Island' here http://www.tofugu.com/2010/11/09/cat-island-japan/?utm_ca

 

[Miziree]

If you have friends or relatives in Japan, google has a people finder for this earthquake.

http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/?lang=en

news link:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/tec...-earthquake-tsunami-leaves-hundreds-dead.html

 

[peeples]

Awww poor kitties and people