Suleimani, E.N., Nicolsky, D.J., and Koehler, R.D., 2013, Tsunami inundation maps of Sitka, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys, http://dx.doi.org/10.14509/26671.
Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate potential tsunami hazards for the community of Sitka. We numerically modeled the extent of inundation from tsunami waves generated by near- and far-field tectonic sources. We performed numerical modeling of historic events at Sitka, such as the tsunami triggered by the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, and the tsunami waves generated by the recent 2011 Tohoku and 2012 Haida Gwaii earthquakes. Hypothetical tsunami scenarios include variations of the extended 1964 rupture, megathrust earthquakes in the Alaska Peninsula region and in the Cascadia subduction zone, and a thrust earthquake in the region of the Queen Charlotte-Fairweather fault zone. Results of numerical modeling combined with historical [...]
Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate potential tsunami hazards for the community of Sitka. We numerically modeled the extent of inundation from tsunami waves generated by near- and far-field tectonic sources. We performed numerical modeling of historic events at Sitka, such as the tsunami triggered by the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, and the tsunami waves generated by the recent 2011 Tohoku and 2012 Haida Gwaii earthquakes. Hypothetical tsunami scenarios include variations of the extended 1964 rupture, megathrust earthquakes in the Alaska Peninsula region and in the Cascadia subduction zone, and a thrust earthquake in the region of the Queen Charlotte-Fairweather fault zone. Results of numerical modeling combined with historical observations in the region are intended to provide guidance to local emergency management in tsunami hazard assessment, evacuation planning, and public education for the reduction of future tsunami risk.
Large seismic events occurring in the vicinity of the Alaska Peninsula, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska have a very high potential for generating both local and Pacific-wide tsunamis. Saving lives and property depends on how well a community is prepared, which makes it essential to estimate the potential flooding of the coastal zone in the case of a local or distant tsunami. The Alaska Tsunami Mapping Team (ATMT) participates in the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP) by evaluating and mapping potential inundation of selected parts of the Alaska coastline using numerical modeling of tsunami wave dynamics. The communities are selected for inundation modeling in coordination with the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) with consideration for location, infrastructure, availability and quality of bathymetric and topographic data, and community involvement. The Sitka tsunami inundation maps described in the associated manuscript represent the results of the continuous effort of state and federal agencies to produce inundation maps for many Alaska coastal communities.
