The PI will carry out a rapid-reconnaissance survey of the 1 April 2007 Solomon Islands M=8.1 earthquake and tsunami with the aim of making geological observations, measuring wave properties, and collecting sediment samples. The survey will involve transects to collect sediment deposited by the tsunami along with evidence of wave heights, velocities, timing, etc. with the aim of calibrating models of flow depths based on the grain size distribution. The survey will also look for evidence of paleotsunamis with the aim of establishing a recurrence interval for this type of event.
Data from tsunami surveys conducted since 1992 have aided greatly in the calibration of deep sea tsunami wave propagation models, allowing their use for guiding response and alert procedures. This survey will collect additional data on grain sizes that will help with calibrating a much more difficult modelling problem, that of tsunamis once they are in the shallow regimes of near-shore and on-shore environments, and the sedimentation patterns that these produce.
The 07:40 (local) April 1 magnitude 8.1 earthquake generated a tsunami several meters high that struck many of the Solomon Islands. At least 34 people were killed by the tsunami, with several dozen additional victims missing as of reports received April 10. The Solomon Islands Disaster Council in Honiara estimates that 900-2500 homes were destroyed by the tsunami, displacing about 5500 people. The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby is assessing alleged damage in the outer Milne Bay islands of Papua New Guinea. The earthquake ocurred along the boundary of the Pacific plate where the Australia, Woodlark, and Solomon Sea plates subduct beneath it.
