The physics of the Chicxulub tsunami

[Halichoeres]

This physics article models the height of the tsunami generated by the end-Cretaceous Chicxulub impact, which had 30,000 times as much energy as the destructive 2004 tsunami. The authors checked the predictions of their model by comparing actual erosion values from sediments of the same age around the world.

Here's a map of tsunami height. Almost the entire Pacific rim is around 10 meters or more, although it obviously attenuates pretty quickly before getting too far inland.


They also tease a follow-up steady where they plan to estimate coastal flooding.

Open access: https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/77/8/54/3304682/The-tsunami-triggered-by-the-Chicxulub-impactThe

[Concavenator]

I can only imagine how devastating that tsunami would have been... Scary to think.

[Papi-Anon]

History's greatest surfing moment.

And no surfers were around to catch the literal killer waves.