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Offshore depositional sequence of 2004 tsunami from Chennai, SE coast of India

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Abstract

Offshore sediment characteristics of the 2004 tsunami were identified from a shallow core collected from the Chennai Coast, India. The depositional sequence clearly distinguishes four different processes: mixed facies (post-tsunami): 0–8 cm; tsunami return flow facies (TRFF): 8–20 cm; tsunami landward flow facies: 20–44 cm; and pre-tsunami facies: 44–64 cm, which all took place during and after the tsunami event. The coarse-grained nature and higher carbonate in the TRFF indicate that considerable sediment load was transported from the beach/land area to the offshore region during the return flow of tsunami waves. The relatively greater abundance of benthic foraminiferal species in the core sample suggests that the taxa were transported from deeper regions of the inner shelf regions of Bay of Bengal region. The depositional characteristics in this region can be utilized for future comparative studies from this region as well as in other offshore regions affected by tsunamis with sequence-based studies on local topography.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to The Director, National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai, for his help in permitting the use of CRV Sagar Paschimi immediately after the Indian Ocean Tsunami event. SS thanks the CSIR and INCOIS, Government of India, for their research projects [CSIR No. 23(001)/06/EMR-II and INCOIS No. INCOIS/283/2007]. MPJ thanks the support by SNI-CONACyT, IPN (EDI, COFAA), Mexico. The authors thank Prof. S.P. Mohan (Head) and Dr. M. Suresh Gandhi, Department of Geology, University of Madras, for their help in SEM photography. This article is 58th contribution from the Earth System Sciences Group (ESSG), Chennai, India.

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  1. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (CIIEMAD), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Calle 30 de Junio de 1520, Barrio la Laguna Ticomán, Del. Gustavo A. Madero, C.P.07340, Mexico, D.F., Mexico

    M. P. Jonathan

  2. Department of Geology, Anna University, Chennai, 600 025, India

    S. Srinivasalu, N. Thangadurai & T. Narmatha

  3. Department of Applied Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India

    N. Rajeshwara-Rao

  4. Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India

    V. Ram-Mohan

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Jonathan, M.P., Srinivasalu, S., Thangadurai, N. et al. Offshore depositional sequence of 2004 tsunami from Chennai, SE coast of India. Nat Hazards 62, 1155–1168 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0141-5

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