[Strategerist]

Apparently, since it resides in such deep waters, the earthquake force did not generate tsunamis there.

Sorry, that's not going to turn out to be the explanation for the lack of damage there. It flat out doesn't make sense and doesn't correlate well with tsunamis affecting other deepwater coasts and islands.

[jocon307]

"...that's not going to turn out to be the explanation for the lack of damage there."

It's Bush's fault, and Blair's too. Hmmm, Diego Garcia, surely Anzar and Berlusconi are involved also.

[reagandemocrat]

Someone explained that it's like water rushing around a tall pole in a pool... the overall impact is comletely different than a long, wide beach..


But I'm an idiot in such things.

RD

[Tacos]

"As a tsunami leaves the deep water of the open sea and propagates into the more shallow waters near the coast, it undergoes a transformation. Since the speed of the tsunami is related to the water depth, as the depth of the water decreases, the speed of the tsunami diminishes. The change of total energy of the tsunami remains constant. Therefore, the speed of the tsunami decreases as it enters shallower water, and the height of the wave grows. Because of this "shoaling" effect, a tsunami that was imperceptible in deep water may grow to be several feet or more in height."

More at http://www.wcatwc.gov/physics.htm

[inkling]

The deep-water explanation didn't make sense to me either, but that's what the early posts reported. A sharp coastal incline would seem to cause a more dramatic tsunami, if anything. ::shrug::

[dufekin]

Tsunamis tend to be higher when the wave can move across extensive shallow water immediately offshore. Although the mathematics is indubitably complicated, the bathymetry of the island approach might deflect a significant portion of the longitudinal wave around the island.

I'm not much of a tsunami expert, but it does make sense that islands with steeply sloped bathymetry would experience, on balance, lesser effects. The inhabited, military portions of Diego Garcia probably is quite well elevated above the sea surface, in stark contrast to beach-front dwellings in other parts of the world.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"Apparently, since it resides in such deep waters, the earthquake force did not generate tsunamis there.

Sorry, that's not going to turn out to be the explanation for the lack of damage there. It flat out doesn't make sense and doesn't correlate well with tsunamis affecting other deepwater coasts and islands."

What other deep water coasts and islands?

Even if deep water is close to the areas, you have to have shallow waters next to the island in order for the water energy to raise a high wave.

[JSteff]

"affecting other deepwater coasts and islands"

Oh yeah? Not to be smart, but name one and where it is. Diego Garcia is different from almost anywhere else.