Application of Dispersive Numerical Wave Models to Propagation of Long Distance Tsunami

Abstract

A series of numerical studies of the December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had been carried out using dispersive wave models i. e. weakly and fully nonlinear Boussinesq-type equations and nondispersive wave models i. e. linear and nonlinear shallow water equations. Numerical model results are compared each other or with field measurements. General features of tsunami propagation agree well in all numerical results. Numerical results of water level distribution calculated by dispersive and nondispersive wave models showed important differences especially in development of wave front. Discussion of free surface spatial distribution concluded that the dispersion mechanism is important for tsunami propagation in deep sea region, whereas nonlinearity is important in shallow water region.