Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Fall 2024

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geological Sciences

Committee Chair

Breanyn MacInnes

Second Committee Member

Darci Snowden

Third Committee Member

Walter Szeliga

Abstract

Tsunamis are a universal hazard in any environment with oceans or lakes. Having a firm understanding of them is essential because of this. However, the vast number of tsunami studies have been solely on Earth, despite the growing evidence of oceans and lakes being on, or having once existed on, other planets and moons. In this study, I investigated tsunami behavior in non-Earth environments by testing the effects of varying viscosity and gravity. I conducted simulations using GeoClaw, Flow3D®, and VolcFlow on established tsunami benchmarks to identify consistent patterns in tsunami flow patterns and inundation. The results show that as gravity increases, wave speed increases, while inundation decreases. I also observed that increasing viscosity slightly reduces inundation and significantly slows the receding wave as it returns to the ocean. I propose that the increased gravity results in the observed pattern of lesser inundation due to the increased total frictional force with the ground. This lesser inundation that comes with high gravity would also imply that the deposits left by the tsunami would have a smaller area. Additionally, the inherent resistance of high viscosity fluids to deformation and shear forces makes the velocity in shallow flows particularly affected. This implies that compared to water, a more viscous fluids wave would lose momentum faster in a shallow environment like a mud flat.

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