Tsunami Research

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) coordinates a global network of tsunami warning systems. This network now covers the Pacific, Indian Ocean, Caribbean, Northeast Atlantic, and Mediterranean. It is supported by groups of sensors, tide gauges, and regional analysis centres that facilitate rapid coordination and information sharing among experts and member states.

As part of this global effort, scientists and engineers at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) work to install tide gauge-based monitoring systems in the UK and overseas.

Some tsunami sources, such as earthquakes, can be detected by seismic networks, which allows timely warnings to be sent out. However, other tsunami sources are less easily detected. Research led by NOC has evaluated submarine volcano-induced tsunamis. We have also shown how underwater landslides can trigger tsunamis, finding that understanding the landslide's volume, speed, and direction is key to determining the magnitude of the wave. Other NOC scientists are using remote interrogation of optical fibres in the global network of seafloor cables. Combined with novel signal processing and artificial intelligence techniques, this allows us to detect underwater disturbances that may precede tsunamigenic events.