Why Japan's Tsunami Triggered an Enormous Whirlpool (Interesting stuff)

FOX News.com ^ | March 11, 2011 | Stephanie Pappas

[Kaslin]

Tsunami swirls near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, March 11, 2011

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The tsunami that hit northern Japan today created an enormous whirlpool in a harbor off the east coast of that country. According to researchers, whirlpools aren't unusual after waves of this size.

The tsunami was triggered by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan at 2:46 p.m. Tokyo time. Video footage shows a boat swirling in the massive eddy. It's not known whether anyone was on the vessel.

Based on eye-witness accounts and video in recent years, whirlpools probably occur with some regularity after large tsunamis, said Ruth Ludwin, a retired seismologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"Whirlpools have a big impact on the human imagination," Ludwin said. "They're very notable and very frightening. But from the perspective of the geological record, they don't leave any particular sign that has been recognized so far."

[cripplecreek]

I saw Old Sow on the history channel the other day.

[DB]

In larger area pictures there’s a breakwater on one side so when the water went rushing by it caused the water to swirl behind the breakwater and where it was open to the sea.

[ladyvet]

Anybody know what ever happened to that boat?

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Kaslin]

It probably was destroyed

[dr_lew]

As seen in this widely distributed photo, the whirlpool was inside a harbor. There is a seawall just out of the picture to the right and you can see it in this Google Maps view. Note that the trapezoidal shaped pier is submerged.

[cripplecreek]

Old Sow off Deer Island New Brunswick occurs with some regularity. Sometimes its many smaller ones the locals call piglets.

[Kaslin]

Your photo shows a larger area

[Kaslin]

I’m sorry, but what, or who is Old Sow?

[cripplecreek]

A regularly occurring whirlpool off Deer Island New Brunswick.

[Kaslin]

Thanks

[dr_lew]

Your photo shows a larger area

Why do think so?

Here's a Google maps view approximating the view of the photo, but a little wider to show the sea wall. Note the observation tower which is just out of view to the left in the photo.

[Kaslin]

You must have read my mind. Your picture showed up before question post

[DejaJude]

Looks like a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean. Very scary.

[jwparkerjr]

re: “Whirlpools have a big impact on the human imagination,” Ludwin said. “They're very notable and very frightening.”

I can vouch for the truth of that statement! Thirty plus years ago I was on a canoe trip down the Wacissa River near Tallahassee, FL. We were not familiar with the river and took a wrong turn that led us off along a tributary of some sort. Everything looked fine to us until we rounded a little curve and realized it looked like the waterway ended just ahead. Hmmmm . . . There was all sorts of trash and debris floating on the surface and as you got closer you realized it was moving. Around. In ever tighter circles! Wow, talk about pucker factor! We realized we were looking at a huge whirlpool in the river!

Turns out the tributary we had wandered onto went underground there to a cave and the water going in ends up in the Gulf of Mexico some miles west of there.

That was scary.

[NonValueAdded]

God pulled the plug.

[dr_lew]

Also note this video ( currently linked to the Google news hits for [ whirlpool tsunami ] . ) At 0:25 the view is toward the west, and you can see the sea wall there with a little projection on it and some boat slips to the right of that, which match the structures seen in the Google Maps view I linked, bearing in mind that the area beyond the sea wall is submerged.

[BenKenobi]

Godzilla

[yup2394871293]

It was Godzilla swimming in circles.