Technology News

Stem cell heart surgery may spell the end for transplantation
British scientists have developed a new technique that can rebuild a severely damaged heart, and one day, might replace the need for transplantation. ANI

A new insight into the turbulent atmosphere of Venus
New images taken by instruments on board ESAs (European Space Agencys) Venus Express have provided insight into the turbulent atmosphere of our neighbouring planet. ANI

ESA tests laser to measure atmospheric CO2
A recent ESA (European Space Agency) campaign has demonstrated how a technique using lasers could be employed to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. ANI

Springy sediments may have amplified Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004

The devastating effect of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 may have been amplified by springy sediments on the seabed.

London, July 2 : The devastating effect of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 may have been amplified by springy sediments on the seabed.

According to a report in New Scientist, sediment is more elastic than the hard bedrock of the Andaman Sea, where the quake occurred. As a result, it can act like a spring during an earthquake.

For example, if a piece of bedrock slips downwards, the sediment is briefly stretched out vertically before collapsing and compressing.

The effect is to amplify the movement of bedrock, generating a larger wave than would otherwise occur.

This could explain why the 2004 tsunami was far stronger than predicted by computer models of the quake that produced it.

"If you take into account the sediment, a much smaller slip along the fault will give you the same wave size," said Denys Dutykh of the Ecole Normale Superieure in Cachan, France.

This effect is strongest if the thickness of the sediment layer is about 12 per cent of the depth of the fault, according to calculations by Dutykh and colleague Frederic Dias.

The Indonesian earthquake was close to that worst-case ratio, with about 3 kilometres of sediment and a fault 25 kilometres deep.

According to Dutykh, another possible danger zone is the eastern Mediterranean, but the risk there is still uncertain, as estimates of sediment depth vary wildly.

ANI