Myth vs Reality: Tsunami Waves

Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach in collaboration with the NASA Earth Observatory.

·       Photo of tsunami waves hitting the coast of Minamisōma in Fukushima prefecture, March 11, 2011: Sadatsugu Tomizawa/AFP/Getty Images

Written by Leah Ramsay

Designed by Dani Player and Leah Hustak

Editorial and design input from Margaret W. Carruthers, Timothy Rhue II, John Godfrey, and Claire Blome

Music courtesy of Associated Production Music

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Text, Myth Versus Reality. Myth, A tsunami is a giant wave.

 

Reality, A tsunami is a series of waves. In the deep ocean, tsunami waves are small in height and the distance between wave crests can be more than 100 miles. Tsunami waves get taller as they move into shallower water. The first wave is not always the largest.