Cave in Sumatra Holds Evidence of Ancient Tsunamis in the Indian Ocean
- 11 years ago
Researchers working in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have found evidence of tsunamis, or waves created by huge earthquakes, that happened in the Indian Ocean thousands of years ago.
Researchers working in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have found evidence of tsunamis, or waves created by huge earthquakes, that occurred in the Indian Ocean over thousands of years.
The cave entrance is high and far enough away from the ocean that only the largest waves, like tsunamis, are able to reach it.
Doctor Jessica Pilarczyk, from Rutgers University in the United States, who worked on the study with a group of other researchers, said: “This coastal cave is a unique 'depot centre', and it's giving us a remarkable snapshot of several thousands of years, allowing us to figure out every single tsunami that would have taken place during that time.”
The tsunami caused by a 2004 earthquake in the area completely engulfed the cave, but sediment in the cave from 75 hundred to 3 thousand years ago is still intact.
So by analyzing carbon data from the organic material that was washed into the cave when a tsunami hit, they can tell approximately how long ago it occurred.
The data shows that the occurrence of tsunamis is not in a predictable pattern.
Researchers working in a cave on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have found evidence of tsunamis, or waves created by huge earthquakes, that occurred in the Indian Ocean over thousands of years.
The cave entrance is high and far enough away from the ocean that only the largest waves, like tsunamis, are able to reach it.
Doctor Jessica Pilarczyk, from Rutgers University in the United States, who worked on the study with a group of other researchers, said: “This coastal cave is a unique 'depot centre', and it's giving us a remarkable snapshot of several thousands of years, allowing us to figure out every single tsunami that would have taken place during that time.”
The tsunami caused by a 2004 earthquake in the area completely engulfed the cave, but sediment in the cave from 75 hundred to 3 thousand years ago is still intact.
So by analyzing carbon data from the organic material that was washed into the cave when a tsunami hit, they can tell approximately how long ago it occurred.
The data shows that the occurrence of tsunamis is not in a predictable pattern.