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Geolens

Glossary

417 words used in the labs.

Find a term from the labs, understand the process behind it, and see how it appears in the landscape. Each entry connects an explanation with a real observation and a model you can explore.

Term

Tsunami

A series of long waves generated by rapid displacement of water, most commonly during a large undersea earthquake. In shallow water they slow and can grow in height. Tsunamis are not caused by the normal daily tides.

What to look for

Coastal damage after the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami. Run-up is the maximum vertical elevation reached by the water above a reference sea level; survey evidence is needed to attach a number to this photograph.

Related labs

Tsunami →Storm surge →
Debris, damaged buildings and inundated land at a fishing port near Kesennuma after the 2011 tsunami.
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Explore further with USGS water glossary · USGS volcano glossary · NPS glacial geology · NASA Earth facts. Photograph acknowledgements are collected on the Image credits page.