Method of calculating tsunami travel times in the Andaman Sea region

摘要

A new model to calculate tsunami travel times in the Andaman Sea region ha: been developed. The model specifically provides more accurate travel time estimates fo tsunamis propagating to Patong Beach on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand. More gen erally, the model provides better understanding of the influence of the accuracy anc resolution of bathymetry data on the accuracy of travel time calculations. The dynami< model is based on solitary wave theory, and a lookup function is used to perform bilinea interpolation of bathymetry along the ray trajectory. The model was calibrated and verifiec using data from an echosounder record, tsunami photographs, satellite altimetry records and eyewitness accounts of the tsunami on 26 December 2004. Time differences for 1] representative targets in the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean regions were calculated The model demonstrated satisfactory time differences (<2 min/h), despite the use of lov resolution bathymetry (ETOPO2v2). To improve accuracy, the dynamics of wave elevatioi and a velocity correction term must be considered, particularly for calculations in the nearshore region.