Atmospheric processes responsible for generation of the 2008 Boothbay meteotsunami

We investigated the atmospheric processes and physics that were active during a tsunami-like event hitting Boothbay Harbor area (Maine, USA) on 28 October 2008. The data collected by tide gauges, ground and sounding stations and meteo–ocean buoys in the area were analyzed, together with satellite an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural hazards (Dordrecht) 2014-10, Vol.74 (1), p.25-53
Main Authors: Vilibić, I., Horvath, K., Strelec Mahović, N., Monserrat, S., Marcos, M., Amores, Á., Fine, I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric models
Atmospherics
Civil Engineering
Coastal zone
Dissipation
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Environmental Management
Gauges
Geophysics
Geophysics/Geodesy
Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences
Gravity waves
Grounds
Harbors
Hydrogeology
Internal waves
Mathematical models
Meteorology
Natural Hazards
Original Paper
Radar
Remote sensing
Tsunamis
Warning systems
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Summary:We investigated the atmospheric processes and physics that were active during a tsunami-like event hitting Boothbay Harbor area (Maine, USA) on 28 October 2008. The data collected by tide gauges, ground and sounding stations and meteo–ocean buoys in the area were analyzed, together with satellite and radar images. The atmospheric processes were reproduced by the weather research and forecasting model, verified by in situ and remote sensing data. A cold front moved over the area at the time of the event, with embedded convective clouds detected by satellite and radar data and the internal gravity waves (IGWs) detected by radar and reproduced by the model at the rear of the frontal precipitation band. According to the model, the IGWs that passed over Boothbay Harbor generated strong ground air-pressure oscillations reaching 2.5 hPa/3 min. The IGWs were ducted towards the coast without significant dissipation, propagating in a stable near-surface layer capped by an instability at approximately 3.5 km height and satisfying all conditions for their maintenance over larger areas. The intensity, speed and direction of the IGWs were favourable for generation of a meteotsunami wave along the Gulf of Maine shelf. Operational observation systems were not capable of sufficiently capturing the ground disturbance due to a too coarse sampling rate, while the numerical model was found to be a useful tool in eventual future detection and warning systems.
ISSN:0921-030X
1573-0840
DOI:10.1007/s11069-013-0811-y