2014/09/01 by Rhett Butler, David A. Burney, David Walsh · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #earthquake and tectonic studies #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Geological and Geochemical Analysis
paper · doi:10.1002/2014gl061232
openalex publication_date 2014/09/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
The Hawaiian Islands' location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is threatened by tsunamis from great earthquakes in nearly all directions. Historical great earthquakes M w > 8.5 in the last 100 years have produced large inundations and loss of life in the islands but cannot account for a substantial (≤ 600 m 3 ) paleotsunami deposit in the Makauwahi sinkhole on the Island of Kaua‘i. Using high‐resolution bathymetry and topography we model tsunami inundation of the sinkhole caused by an earthquake with a moment magnitude of M w ~9.25 located in the eastern Aleutians. A preponderance of evidence indicates that a giant earthquake in the eastern Aleutian Islands circa 1425–1665 A.D.—located between the source regions of the 1946 and 1957 great tsunamigenic earthquakes—created the paleotsunami deposit in Kaua‘i. A tsunami deposit in the Aleutians dated circa 1530–1660 A.D. is consistent with this eastern Aleutian source region.