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Insights on the small tsunami from January 28, 2020, Caribbean Sea MW7.7 earthquake by numerical simulation and spectral analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Zhiguo Xu

    (National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center
    South China Sea Tsunami Advisory Center)

  • Lining Sun

    (National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center
    South China Sea Tsunami Advisory Center)

  • Mohd Nashriq Abd Rahman

    (Malaysian Meteorological Department)

  • Shanshan Liang

    (China Earthquake Networks Center)

  • Jianyu Shi

    (National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center
    South China Sea Tsunami Advisory Center)

  • Hongwei Li

    (National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center
    South China Sea Tsunami Advisory Center)

Abstract

A major left-lateral strike-slip Mw7.7 earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the Caribbean Sea on January 28, 2020. As a result, a small-scale tsunami was generated. The properties of the seismogenic source were described using observational data gathered for the earthquake and tsunami, as well as information on the regional tectonic setting. The tsunami was simulated with the COMCOT model and Okada’s dislocation model from finite fault solutions for MW7.7 Caribbean Sea earthquakes published by the United States Geological Survey. The simulation results were compared to tide gauge records to validate whether the seafloor’s vertical displacement generated by the strike-slip fault caused a small-scale tsunami. We conducted a spectral analysis of the tsunami to better understand the characteristics of tsunami records. The tsunami simulation results showed that the co-seismic vertical displacement caused by a strike-slip MW7.7 earthquake could have contributed to the small-scale tsunami, but the anomalously large high-frequency tsunami waves recorded by the George Town tide gauge 11 min after the earthquake were unrelated to the earthquake-generated tsunami. According to the spectrum analysis, the predominant period of noticeable high-frequency tsunami waves recorded by the George Town tide gauge occurred only two minutes after the earthquake. This indicates that the source of the small-scale tsunami was close to the George Town station and the possible tsunami source was 150 km away from George Town station. These facts suggest that a submarine landslide was caused by the strike-slip earthquake. The comprehensive analysis showed that the small-scale tsunami was not caused solely by co-seismic seafloor deformation from the strike-slip event but that an earthquake-triggered submarine landslide was the primary cause. Therefore, the combined impact of two sources led to the small-scale tsunami.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiguo Xu & Lining Sun & Mohd Nashriq Abd Rahman & Shanshan Liang & Jianyu Shi & Hongwei Li, 2022. "Insights on the small tsunami from January 28, 2020, Caribbean Sea MW7.7 earthquake by numerical simulation and spectral analysis," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 111(3), pages 2703-2719, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:111:y:2022:i:3:d:10.1007_s11069-021-05154-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-021-05154-1
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