Three-dimensional waveform modeling of ionospheric signature induced by the 2004 Sumatra tsunami

Abstract

The Sumatra, December 26th, 2004, tsunami produced internal gravity waves in the neutral atmosphere and large disturbances in the overlying ionospheric plasma. To corroborate the tsunamigenic hypothesis of these perturbations, we reproduce, with a 3D numerical modeling of the ocean-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling, the tsunami signature in the Total Electron Content (TEC) data measured by the Jason-1 and Topex/Poseidon satellite altimeters. The agreement between the observed and synthetic TEC shows that ionospheric remote sensing can provide new tools for offshore tsunami detection and monitoring. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.