Collaborative Research: Stratovolcano lateral collapses and collapse-generated tsunamis in island arc settings: the example of the North New Guinea Arc

University Of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

The PIs will investigate submarine edifice-collapse deposits off the coast of New Britain and related tsunami deposits. The PIs propose to map, date and characterize offshore debris deposits and coastal tsunami deposits in the volcanic arc and to use these data to model collapse-generated tsunamis. Edifice collapse has been shown to have been a frequent occurrence in Papua New Guinea, including the well-documented 1888 event at Ritter Island. Knowledge gained could ultimately lead to prediction of coastal impacts from future events in similar tectonic areas.