I'm not exactly sure how to hook up the tow rope yet. Any Ideas?
Posted on 08/09/2004 8:34:11 PM PDT by FormerACLUmember
A collapsing volcano in the Atlantic could unleash a giant wave of water that would swamp the Caribbean and much of the eastern seaboard of the United States, a scientist has claimed.
Dr Simon Day, of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at University College London, UK, believes one flank of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma, in the Canaries archipelago, is unstable and could plunge into the ocean.
If I was living in Miami or New York and I heard that the Cumbre Vieja was erupting, I would keep a very close eye on the news.
Swiss researchers who have modelled the landslide say half a trillion tonnes of rock falling into the water all at once would create a wave 650 metres high (2,130 feet) that would spread out and travel across the Atlantic at high speed.
The wall of water would weaken as it crossed the ocean, but would still be 40-50 metres (130-160 feet) high by the time it hit land. The surge would create havoc in North America as much as 20 kilometres (12 miles) inland.
Dr Day told BBC Science's Horizon programme: "This event would be so huge that it would affect not only the people on the island but people way over on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean - people who've never heard of La Palma."
His latest work on the subject has been published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.
On the back of this work, the Geological Society of London is to write to the UK science minister, Lord Sainsbury, to make him aware of the dangers posed by so-called mega-tsunami in the Atlantic.
The society hopes he will take the issue as seriously as he has the threat from asteroid strikes.
Scientists have known of the destructive power of tsunami - huge tidal waves - for many centuries. As recently as 1998, over 2,000 people were killed by a large wave hitting the coast of Papua New Guinea.
This was caused by an offshore earthquake. But researchers believe far bigger phenomena can be created by giant landslides.
The largest wave in recorded history, witnessed in Alaska in 1958, was caused by the collapse of a towering cliff at Letuya Bay. The resulting wave was higher than any skyscraper on Earth and gouged out soil and trees to a height of 500 metres (1,640) feet) above sea level.
Geological studies have found evidence of giant landslides elsewhere in the world such as Hawaii, the Cape Verde Islands and Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
Dr Day has identified dozens of volcanic vents in the Cumbre Vieja volcano that have been formed by successive eruptions over the past 100,000 years.
He thinks water trapped between dykes of impermeable rock could create pressures that eventually lead to the western flank of the mountain falling away during some future eruption.
Hermann Fritz, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, which has equipment to model waves created by landslides, said: "If the Cumbre Vieja were to collapse as one single block, it would lead to a giant mega-tsunami with an initial wave height of 650 metres.
"It would have a wavelength of 30 to 40 kilometres (18 to 25 miles) travelling westwards across the Atlantic at speeds up to 720 km/h (450 mph) towards America."
But researchers caution that such a catastrophe may not occur for many decades.
"There could be five more summit eruptions of the Cumbre Vieja before the western flank collapses," said Professor Bill McGuire, of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre.
"There could be 10 or there could be 20 - we simply don't know. But put it this way: if I was living in Miami or New York and I heard that the Cumbre Vieja was erupting, I would keep a very close eye on the news."
What?! I said the Hindenburg not Otisburg! By the way how many megatonnes are these otisburgs? If they're bigger than a Hindenburg then it must be seriesly hugh!! Keepin' my beebers stuned! Later....
Don't forget the SUCK BACK phenomenon. Before a tsunami strikes, the water level draws back like a massive outflowing tide, in just a matter of minutes. Curious onlookers have actually walked out onto suddenly dry harbor bottoms, only to be engulfed by the oncoming wall of water. If you ever see the ocean suddenly rushing out for no apparant reason, that is your signal to run as fast as possible for high ground!
Probably only need to go several kilometres inland.
Krakotoa blew up and out of its vent. This is different, it is a vast landslide. Keep in mind the wall of the island/volcano is underwater for about a mile or so to the floor of the ocean.
I have been in Hawaii, where the seal floor reveals that this type of thing has happened many times over the history of those islands.
The problem is, that you would have to be towed into it by a G5 to make the take-off.
Do you know anyone that has a G5?
At least it would slow down wild congressional deficit spending, something that seems to require an act of God. And it might rid us of about half the worst federal judges and most trial lawyers.
Gotta look for that silver lining...
Google 'otisburg superman'
Which kind? The OTISBURG model?
Why is this being brought up again now? This was news in 2001.
http://www.rense.com/general13/tidal.htm
Sweet! Which means I'll live! :D
In your article it says the wave would be 150 feet high.... much smaller than 2000 meters high.
Memorable Quotes from Superman (1978)
[pointing to a map of California and the San Andreas Fault] Lex Luthor: Everything west of this line is the richest, most expensive real estate in the world: San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco.
Everything on THIS side of the line is just hundreds and hundreds of miles of worthless desert land, which just so happens to be owned by... [Whaps Otis with his pointer]
Otis: Uhhh... Lex Luthor Incorporated. Lex Luthor: Now, call me foolish, call me irresponsible, it occurs to me that a 500 megaton bomb planted at just the proper point would, uh... Superman: Would destroy most of California. Millions of innocent people would be killed. And the west coast as we know it would-...
Lex Luthor: Fall into the sea. Lex Luthor: [Gives a little wave with his hand] Bye-bye, California. Hello, new west coast. My west coast. [Otis overlays map with new map]
Lex Luthor: Costa Del Lex. Luthorville. Marina del Lex. Otisburg... Otisburg? Otis: Miss Tessmacher, she's got her own place. Lex Luthor: Otisburg? Otis: It's a little bitty place. Lex Luthor: [Angrily] Otisburg? Otis: Okay, I'll just wipe it off, that's all. Just a little town. [Erases Otisburg]
Make ya homesick for Arizona? ;-)
(And a classic bit is a classic bit).
I'm not exactly sure how to hook up the tow rope yet. Any Ideas?
Therese Heinz-Kerry has TWO Gulfstreams.
It's happened before, it will happen again.
Probably a bridle arrangement between the wingtips with a half-mile lead to the dragee. Also would recommend a grab-hook for connecting up with the well bungeed dragee. Piece o' cake. Good luck ol' bean!
An erudite skeptic:
http://www.drgeorgepc.com/TsunamiMegaEvaluation.html
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