New Animation Reveals Japan Tsunami Debris Path 23rd February 2012

[JennyLeez]

This much is known: The devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11 2011 created a massive amount of debris, some of which was washed back into the ocean as the waters retreated. Prevailing currents are carrying that debris toward the United States.

But when and where — if ever — it will wash ashore is still in question, and scientists are still tracking how much is floating toward the West Coast.

The magnitude-9.0 quake and tsunami — the costliest disaster of all time — were so powerful that they broke off huge icebergs thousands of miles away in the Antarctic, locally altered Earth's gravity field and washed millions of tons of debris into the Pacific. The Japanese government estimated that the tsunami generated 25 million tons of rubble, but no one is sure how much of that washed into the ocean, or whether any debris stayed afloat.

The new animation shows its probable path, which is helpful to shipping traffic since some of the debris is dangerously large. Debris-tracking missions have already found two fishing vessels that were carried out to sea by the tsunami.

Scientists have now predicted the debris could wash up along the West Coast of the United States by next year.It is expected to hit Midway Atoll this winter and the main Hawaiian Islands in the winter of 2012-2013.


Japanene Home adrift in the Pacific Ocean.
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