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If the rumour is false, it is false. (The suggestion that the species in
question were unknown to science is laughable, of course.)

But is the claimed phenomenon improbable? There is a published report of
water from the depths (few hundred metres) where those species occur
being raised onto the continental shelf by the low-frequency wave
generated by a storm passing over the Great Australian Bight. [The
report was published in AJMFR circa 1986 but I would have trouble
tracking down authors and page numbers.] I don't claim to understand the
physical mechanism, though I have seen it demonstrated in a tank. It has
something to do with a wave, in passing from deep water to shallow,
creating an intense movement of water up and down the steep slope
between and very close to the seabed of the slope.

Would a tsunami have the right frequency and amplitude to have that
effect? Would the water movement be such as to carry fish along with it?
I have no idea but I'd not dismiss the possibility unless somebody with
a solid understanding of the physics said that it couldn't happen.


Trevor Kenchington



Michele Buckhorn wrote:

> It's false. Certainly not the most scientific source but it's been debunked
>
> http://www.snopes.com/photos/tsunami/creature.asp
>
> and the original source of the photos are here
>
> http://www.oceans.gov.au/norfanz/CreatureFeature.htm


--
Trevor J. Kenchington PhD                         [log in to unmask]
Gadus Associates,                                 Office(902) 889-9250
R.R.#1, Musquodoboit Harbour,                     Fax   (902) 889-9251
Nova Scotia  B0J 2L0, CANADA                      Home  (902) 889-3555

                     Science Serving the Fisheries
                      http://home.istar.ca/~gadus

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