GeoClaw Model Tsunamis Compared to Tide Gauge Results Final Report

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to compare GeoClaw tsunami model results to detided tide gauge results at multiple destinations for each of several tsunamis. In particular, we are interested in the suitability of GeoClaw for calculating tsunami amplitudes with enough precision to be used for forecasting, especially in the context of ensemble modelling. In each of our comparison plots, we also include a sample MOST tsunami result which is useful to see the reasonableness of GeoClaw in regions where tide gauge data is missing or has insufficient resolution. The methodology behind GeoClaw can be found in [1] and [5], and its performance on the 2011 NTHMP problems in [4] and [6]. For a description of the MOST model see [7]. Here, we give a quick summary of our progress on such comparisons for the Japan 2011, Samoa 2009, Kuril 2007, Chile 2010 and HaidiGwaii 2012 tsunamis at tide gauge destinations at Crescent City, Arena Cove, Port Orford, Hilo, Midway Island and Pago Pago. In the next sections, we provide more details.