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Impact craters as sources of mega-tsunami generated chevron dunes

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D. H. Abbott at Lamont - Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University
D. H. Abbott
S. Martos
S. Martos
S. Martos
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ABBOTT, D.H., 2006, October. Impact Craters as Sources of Megatsunami Generated Chevron Dunes. In
2006 GSA Philadelphia Annual Meeting
.
Abstract
IMPACT CRATERS AS SOURCES OF MEGATSUNAMI GENERATED CHEVRON DUNES
ABBOTT, Dallas H.
1
, MARTOS, Suzanne
1
1
, BRYANT, Edward F.
2
, GUSIAKOV, Viacheslav
3
, and BREGER, Dee
4
, (1) Lamont
Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Oceanography 103A, 1000 Rt. 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, dallas@ldeo.columbia.edu, (2) School of
Geosciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia, (3) Tsunami Laboratory, Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathematical
Geophysics, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia, (4) Dept. of Materials Science, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Chevron dunes are not formed by wind.! Chevron dunes are not oriented in the direction of the prevailing wind, they can form where there are no beaches, and
they contain grains larger than 2 mm in diameter.!! Chevrons are produced by megatsunamis originating from point sources, i.e. landslides, impact craters, and
volcanic explosions. We have assembled data on chevrons worldwide.! Most are best explained as the result of tsunami generated from large impact cratering
events.! We now have data confirming an impact origin of two chevron sources.! In the Indian ocean, chevron dunes in Western Australia, India, and Madagascar
point towards the 29 km Burckle Crater at 30.865S, 61.365E.! The impact ejecta from Burckle crater contain meteorite fragments, impact glass, oceanic mantle
fragments, and impact spherules.! The impact spherules are >200 microns in diameter, consistent with a 29 km crater. The impact glasses have no K and cannot
be continental in origin.!! In the Gulf of Carpentaria, we found impact ejecta that contain impact glass and meteoritic material: merrillite, high Ni metal, and
probable melted carbonaceous chondrite [1].! We also found abundant magnetite impact spherules with a bimodal size distribution [2]. This implies two source
craters for the chevrons: the 18 km Kanmare (Serpent) crater at 16.58S, 139.057E and the 12 km Tabban (Rainbow) crater at 17.125S, 139.86E.! In the
Mediterranean, a megatsunami source near the Rhone delta is of undetermined origin.! All other sources are impact crater candidates and require more study.!
We found the following: the 1 km Judge crater candidate in Long Island Sound at 41.17N, 72.405W, the 10 km Quetzalcoatl crater candidate in the Caribbean at
22.04N, 96.32W, the 18 km Grendel crater candidate in the North Sea at 58.16 N, 5.86E, the 5 km Kangaroo crater candidate at 39.0465S, 141.285E and the 4
km Joey crater candidate at 39.16S, 141.21E.!!
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... So-called 'coastal chevrons' are V-shaped sediment bodies, morphologically similar to parabolic dunes. However, some researchers suppose that chevrons are linked to gigantic tsunami overwash created by oceanic impacts, amongst others, due to their dimensions and height above sea level Abbott et al., 2006Abbott et al., , 2007aAbbott et al., ,b,c, 2017Masse et al., 2006;Scheffers et al., 2008a,b;Gusiakov et al., 2010). This hypothesis neglects a possible aeolian genesis. ...
... According to GoogleEarth Ó surveys of Scheffers et al. (2008b), chevrons can reach as much as ca 47 km inland and ca 200 m above present sea level. Several publications link chevrons to a 'mega-tsunami' which they refer to as large-scaled coastal inundations by waves with heights of several tens of metres and a large geographical extent (potentially basin-wide; Abbott et al., 2006Abbott et al., , 2017Masse et al., 2006). In contrast, define a 'mega-tsunami' as an unexpected tsunami with initial wave heights of at least 100 m, potentially caused by an oceanic impact or mass wasting event. ...
... Abbott et al., 2007b). According to Abbott et al. (2006Abbott et al. ( , 2007c and Gusiakov et al. (2010), such high-magnitude tsunamis cannot be caused by earthquakes, but by submarine eruptions, submarine slides or oceanic impacts, whereas the impact theory is favoured (Abbott et al., , 2007aMasse et al., 2006). Currently, the (mega-)tsunami hypothesis is challenged by several authors who argue that hydrodynamic aspects of tsunami propagation and inundation cannot produce such large-scaled sand bodies, consequently arguing in favour of an aeolian chevron origin (Blakeslee, 2006;Bourgeois & Weiss, 2009;Gramling, 2009;Garcia Garcia et al., 2012;. ...
High-energy inundation events versus long-term coastal processes - room for misinterpretation
Article
  • Jul 2018
  • SEDIMENTOLOGY
Coastal boulder deposits and chevrons are two features whose origin have triggered controversial discussions. Boulders are often used as indicators of past tsunamis and storms, with the former interpretation in many cases preferred due to the clast size. Chevrons, defined as large parabolic sand bodies, were previously attributed to (mega‐)tsunami, potentially caused by oceanic impacts, because of their dimensions, height above sea level and alignment of the central axis. This study documents that chevrons along the Quobba coast in Western Australia are parabolic dunes and not related to tsunami inundation; their age is consistent with an arid period at about 3.9 to 2.3 ka when the sea level was 1 to 2 m higher than today. The internal age distribution proves an inland migration. Weakly developed soil horizons represent phases of intermittent dune stabilization and later reactivation. The calculated velocities required for wind transport and the prevailing wind directions are consistent with on‐site meteorological parameters. The boulders at Quobba are most likely to be remnants of in situ platform denudation that produces shell hash, coral clasts and boulders. An unknown portion of the boulders was certainly moved by tropical cyclones. A previously proposed tsunami origin is unsustainable because the observed features can be explained by processes other than tsunamis. Boulders were tilted during gravitative platform collapse, standing water caused dissolution of the boulder bottoms, creating ‘pseudo‐rockpools’, consequently not applicable as upside‐down criteria, and ages of attached encrusting organisms document their colonization at higher sea level and (sub)recent frequent inundation by wave splash during rough seas. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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... Кратер Брукле имеет диаметр 29 км, находится в Индийском океане на глубине около 4500 м и практически не покрыт донными осадками, что указывает на его относительно молодой возраст (около 4800 лет). Исходя из размеров кратера, он мог возникнуть как результат падения кометы с ядром диаметром примерно в 1 км [17,25]. ...
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... The Burckle Crater is 29 km in diameter, located in the Indian Ocean ~4500 m below the surface, and barely covered by bottom sediments, suggesting a relatively young age (~4800 years). Based on its dimensions, the crater was likely formed as a result of impact from a comet ~1 km in diameter [17,25]. ...
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... Mega-tsunami caused by a large submarine mass movement on volcanic islands may reach wave heights of several 100 m and may devastate entire coastal regions several 1000 km away. Gupta (2005) No Refers to the "Mega-Tsunami of 26th December, 2004" Abbott et al. (2006) No Conference abstract entitled "Impact craters as sources of megatsunami generated chevron dunes" Masse et al. (2006) No Conference abstract where authors create the term "Megatsunami Chevron" for purported evidence from Madagascar McGuire (2006) Yes Provides an arbitrary definition for "waves that are in excess of 100 m in height at source, and which remain destructive at oceanic distances." In discussing potential mega-tsunami sources he states that no such event has been observed or reported in historic time or incontrovertibly detected in the geological record. ...
Have we experienced any mega-tsunamis in the past decade?
Conference Paper
  • Aug 2015
The term “mega-tsunami” has crept into the scientific literature over recent years following the devastation wrought by the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunamis. However, it is interesting to note that until recently, no one took the time to consider the definition of this term. While there have been several previous attempts at a definition, the term mega-tsunami has generally been applied in a rather arbitrary fashion to a number of tsunami characteristics, such as wave height or amplitude at both source and distant locations, run-up height, geographical extent and impact. We propose a stricter definition that is based solely on initial wave height/amplitude at source exceeding 100 m/50 m respectively. This source related definition avoids difficulties associated with the potential influence of coastal physical attributes (e.g. configuration, bathymetry, geomorphology) on tsunami parameters at affected locations. Using this definition, mega-tsunamis can only include those rare events on geological timescales generated by large bolide impacts, violent volcanic activity or oceanic island flank collapse, and possibly extreme tsunamigenic submarine earthquakes. In defining mega-tsunamis we also note a far more applicable term for recent large events such as those in 2004 and 2011. These fall into a group known as souteigai-tsunamis, or ‘unexpected’ tsunamis, which are considered exceptional according to historical experience and local perspectives.
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... Mega-tsunami caused by a large submarine mass movement on volcanic islands may reach wave heights of several 100 m and may devastate entire coastal regions several 1000 km away. Gupta (2005) No Refers to the "Mega-Tsunami of 26th December, 2004" Abbott et al. (2006) No Conference abstract entitled "Impact craters as sources of megatsunami generated chevron dunes" Masse et al. (2006) No Conference abstract where authors create the term "Megatsunami Chevron" for purported evidence from Madagascar McGuire (2006) Yes Provides an arbitrary definition for "waves that are in excess of 100 m in height at source, and which remain destructive at oceanic distances." In discussing potential mega-tsunami sources he states that no such event has been observed or reported in historic time or incontrovertibly detected in the geological record. ...
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Atlas and Herakles
Book
  • Dec 2022
The objective of this study was to analyze the genre of Plato's story of Atlantis and to find the geographical urheimats of its narrative elements such as the Atlantean names and the geographical descriptions concerning the flora, fauna, technology, and architecture of Atlantis. Based on this study, Plato's genre resembled the way in which Herodotus described the civilizations of Western Asia. It seemed to be a text of an amateur historiographer, who tried to increase the credibility of his text by using the best methods of historiography of his time (e.g. analysis of the sources and warning the readers of unreliable details). Alternatively, his story could be interpreted as a creative patchwork that would have been created based on older stories and traditions, in the same way as Lönnrot created his Kalevala. Based on this study, two urheimat hypotheses were constructed: Atlantis of India and Atlantis of Africa. The India hypothesis was supported by Plato's narrative element concerning the habit of the Atlanteans to use coconuts for their food, drink, and ointment. The Africa hypothesis was supported by Pliny the Elder, according to whom 1) the earlier name of sub-Saharan Africa was Atlantia, and 2) there was an island called Atlantis in front of Cameroon, approximately at the same Meridian as Cartago. After this, the book turned into a cross-scientific study, which investigated the potential existence of and Indo-African civilization that would have existed 3000 - 1100 BCE, attacking Egypt and Greece as is described in Plato's story of Atlantis and in the Egyptian documents that tell about the attacks of the Sea Peoples. The discovered genetic, archaeological, linguistic and historical evidence suggests that there might have been migrations from India to West Africa and Western Europe 3000-50 BCE. However, these migrations would have been so small in numbers, that they did not leave a clear genetic trace except for the genetic similarity of the Fulani of the West Africa with the Nadar of South India, and except for the similarity of the Sicilian population with the West Indian population. Based on this, the study did not support the idea that there would have once been an Atlantean civilization that would have reached from India to Gibraltar around Africa. The theory concerning Indian migrations to West Africa and Iberia was then evaluated against data that was obtained from Mapcarta.com and Forebears.io. The results of this onomastic study provided some evidence supporting the Indian origin of the Ethiopian, Ancient West African, Iberian, Berber and Libu, Sea Peoples, Etruscan, and Plato's Atlantean name sets. This provides some weak or tentative evidence that would support the existence of an Indo-Atlantean civilization at the coasts of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans 3000 - 1100 BCE. Yet, the lack of significant archaeological and genetic evidence speaks against this interpretation.
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Australian impact cratering record: Updates and recent discoveries
Chapter
Full-text available
  • Jun 2021
This volume represents the proceedings of the homonymous international conference on all aspects of impact cratering and planetary science, which was held in October 2019 in Brasília, Brazil. This volume contains a sizable suite of contributions dealing with regional impact records (Australia, Sweden), impact craters and impactites, early Archean impacts and geophysical characteristics of impact structures, shock metamorphic investigations, post-impact hydrothermalism, and structural geology and morphometry of impact structures—on Earth and Mars. These contributions are authored by many of the foremost impact cratering researchers. Many contributions report results from state-of-the-art investigations, for example, several that are based on electron backscatter diffraction studies, and deal with new potential chronometers and shock barometers (e.g., apatite). Established impact cratering workers and newcomers to this field will both appreciate this multifaceted, multidisciplinary collection of impact cratering studies.
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Paleotsunami Research—Current Debate and Controversies
Chapter
  • Dec 2015
During 1989-2014, our knowledge and research focus on modern and paleotsunami events have increased exponentially. Before the catastrophic Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004 AD, nearly 1000 scientific papers had discussed the topic, but since then, over another 1000 research articles have been published. The strong tsunami events of Chile, 2010, and particularly the Tohoku megatsunami in Japan of March 2011 will certainly advance tsunami research further. Hitherto, a large percentage of tsunami-related articles have highlighted the origin of tsunamis, their geophysics, tsunami wave progradation, tsunami risk evaluation, and mitigation. This contribution focuses on fields of debate that still exist, in particular the identification of paleotsunami sediments in geoarchives, the discussion of boulder movements induced either by strong storms or tsunami waves, the enigma of impact tsunamis during the Quaternary, and modeling versus field observations in paleotsunami science.
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