Debris Accumulation Scenarios in Washington State from March 2011 Tohoku Tsunami.

摘要

The Japanese government estimates that approximately 5 million tons of debris washed out to sea after the Tohoku tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. Of that mass, about 1.5 million tons probably floated away from the nearcoastal environment and could be transported to the beaches fringing the northeast Pacific Ocean, including the coast of Washington state. The debris has been difficult to track and represents a potential human and environmental hazard that results in concern about the type and volume of tsunami-generated materials that may wash ashore over the next few years. This analysis uses evidence from oceanographic studies and models to identify likely pathways and sinks for debris and estimate the fraction that might land in Washington.