Abstract
Abstract. Increasing human activities along the coasts of the world provoke the necessity to assess tsunami hazard from different sources (earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity). In this paper, we simulate tsunamis generated by underwater volcanic explosions from (1) a submerged vent in a shallow water lake (Karymskoye Lake, Kamchatka), and (2) from Kolumbo submarine volcano (7 km NE of Santorini, Aegean Sea, Greece). The 1996 tsunami in Karymskoye lake is a well-documented example and thus serves as a case study for validating the calculations. The numerical model reproduces realistically the tsunami run-ups measured onshore. Systematic numerical study of tsunamis generated by explosions of the Kolumbo volcano is then conducted for a wide range of energies. Results show that in case of reawakening, the Kolumbo volcano might represent a significant tsunami hazard for the northern, eastern and southern coasts of Santorini, even for small-power explosions.
Highlights
While tsunamis generated by earthquakes and landslides are very well documented, less attention has been paid to not so frequent but potentially damaging sources of tsunamis such as underwater explosions of volcanic or anthropic origin (e.g. Freundt et al, 2007; Paris et al, 2013)
We simulate tsunamis generated by underwater volcanic explosions from (1) a submerged vent in a shallow water lake (Karymskoye Lake, Kamchatka), and (2) from Kolumbo submarine volcano (7 km NE of Santorini, Aegean Sea, Greece)
Underwater volcanic explosions are at the origin of around 1 % of all tsunamis listed for the last four centuries (Latter, 1981) and are tsunamigenic when occurring in shallow water geometries; for instance, where the depth of the crater is small compared to the crater size
Summary
While tsunamis generated by earthquakes and landslides are very well documented, less attention has been paid to not so frequent but potentially damaging sources of tsunamis such as underwater explosions of volcanic or anthropic origin (e.g. Freundt et al, 2007; Paris et al, 2013). Underwater volcanic explosions are at the origin of around 1 % of all tsunamis listed for the last four centuries (Latter, 1981) and are tsunamigenic when occurring in shallow water geometries; for instance, where the depth of the crater is small compared to the crater size (or the energy of eruption) They typically generate waves of short period limiting propagation and damage in space, but wave run-up inland can be locally high, especially in narrow bays and lakes (Kranzer and Keller, 1959; Basov et al, 1981; Le Méhauté, 1971; Mirchina and Pelinovsky, 1988; Egorov, 2007). The choice of Kolumbo is motivated by evidences of seismicity beneath the volcano (Bohnhoff et al, 2006; Dimitriadis et al, 2009), the existence of an active crustal magma chamber (Dimitriadis et al, 2010), intense CO2 degassing from a hydrothermal field (Sigurdsson et al, 2006; Nomikou et al, 2013a; Kilias et al, 2013), and accumulation of acidic water in the crater (Carey et al, 2013)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
