Process

=**Process**= Read the following series of questions before beginning your research. As you explore each Web site, look for answers to the questions. Your answers should be in complete sentences (with the exception of the chart).

Questions about Tsunamis
• Define the term tsunami and describe some of the characteristics of tsunamis. In what ways do tsunamis differ from other water waves? • What are some natural events that can generate a tsunami? • The term tsunami is a Japanese world whose English translation is "harbor wave." Tsunamis are often inaccurately referred to as "tidal waves" or "seismic sea waves." Explain why neither of these terms correctly describes a tsunami. • Roughly four out of five tsunamis happen in an area called the "Ring of Fire," which roughly encompasses the Pacific Ocean. Why are tsunamis most common in coastal areas bordering the Pacific Ocean? • Create a chart which shows approximately ten of the most destructive tsunamis of the past and current century. Include as much of the following information as possible: date and time the tsunami occurred, world locations most affected, cause, number of people killed, and the amount of property damage incurred. • Two tsunami warning centers are operated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States. Describe where they are located, and identify the locations they serve. How do these centers disseminate warnings about potential tsunami activity?