The Orphan Tsunami: The Connection Between Earthquakes and Tsunamis

In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss the Orphan Tsunami, a historical event in which a tsunami struck Japan in 1700 without an associated earthquake. The episode highlights the three distinct parts of the story, beginning with the tsunami that hit Japan and the initial confusion surrounding its cause. The hosts explain that it took several decades for scientists to connect the 1700 tsunami to an earthquake in Chile. The second part of the episode focuses on the history of tsunamis in Japan, detailing the first written records and the origin of the word 'tsunami.' Lastly, the hosts discuss the impact of the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake, which occurred off the coast of North America and caused the orphan tsunami to reach both Japan and North America. They emphasize the importance of this research in understanding the potential for future earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest.