Modeling of the 2007 Aysén Tsunami Generated by the Punta Cola and North Mentirosa Island Landslides

This study presents numerical simulations of the Aysén tsunami, which occurred on 21 April 2007. The tsunami was triggered by hundreds of landslides caused by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake. With an estimated wave height of 50 m at the northern tip of the Mentirosa Island, the event resulted in 10 fatalities and the destruction of multiple salmon farms along the fjord. We employed the NHWAVE and FUNWAVE-TVD numerical software to conduct a series of simulations using various landslide configurations and two approaches to model landslide motion: a viscous flow and a solid slide governed by Coulomb friction. The numerical results indicate that the solid landslide model without basal friction provides the most accurate representation of the measured in situ run-up heights and generates the largest inundation areas. Furthermore, the simulation results show that the arrival time of the tsunami waves was approximately 600 s. Our findings indicate that the volume of the landslide is the most critical factor in determining tsunami wave heights. Additionally, the Coulomb friction angle is another significant parameter to consider in the modeling process.