2. Scientific Hypothesis

The observation of the bottom sea surface at the proximities of the Alboran Ridge in its southern flank shows the existence of several submarine canyon-fun structures (see Figure A).

The most important of wich is the so called Al-Boraní submarine canyon-fun system (see Figure A for a 3D image). The configuration of these systems with a fun of sediments lying at  the skirts of the  canyon suggests that this deposit of sediments could have taken place suddenly in time as consequence of a destabilization.

The hypothesis build-up by the geologes of the GEMAR group of the Spanish Institute for Oceanography (IEO) was that the submarine landslide was triggered by a moderate earthquake that, although not able to produce a tsunamin by himself, it could nevertheless produce de destabilization of the solid materials in this area of the Alboran Ridge. The sudden movement of these solid materials could have produced a significant tsunami. This is the phenomena and mechanism we expected to numerically reproduce.

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3. Reconstructing the Initial Scenario

1. Physical Framework

Palaeo-Tsunami in the Alboran Sea