The massive security operation surrounding Barack Obama's inauguration showed that he will be the most protected president in the history of the United States. Photo: REUTERS.
The physics of a tsunami. Tsunamis can have wavelengths ranging from 10 to 500 km and wave periods of up to an hour. As a result of their long wavelengths, tsunamis act as shallow-water waves. A wave becomes a shallow-water wave when the wavelength is very large compared to the water depth. where g is the acceleration due to gravity (= 9.8 m/s2) and H is the depth of water.
In the deep water of the open ocean, tsunami waves can travel at speeds up to 800 km (500 miles) per hour and are imperceptible to ships because the wave height is typically less than a few feet.n the deep water of the open ocean, tsunami waves can travel at speeds up to 800 km (500 miles) per hour and are imperceptible to ships because the wave height is typically less than a few feet.