Journal article
Diatom assemblages in tsunami deposits associated with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Phra Thong Island, Thailand
Y Sawai, K Jankaew, ME Martin, A Prendergast, M Choowong, T Charoentitirat
Marine Micropaleontology | ELSEVIER | Published : 2009
Abstract
Diatom assemblages in sandy deposits of the 2004 tsunami at Phra Thong Island, Thailand may provide clues to flow conditions during the tsunami. The tsunami deposits contain one or more beds that fine upward, commonly from medium sand to silty very fine sand. Diatom assemblages of the lowermost portion of the deposit predominantly comprise unbroken beach and subtidal species that live attached to sand grains. The dominant taxa shift to marine plankton species in the middle of the bed and to a mix of freshwater, brackish, and marine species near the top. These trends are consistent with expected changes in current velocities of tsunami through time. During high current velocities, medium sand..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This research is supported partly by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (to YS) and Chulalongkom University (to Thai authors). We thank Brian Atwater for presubmittal review, Shigehiro Fujino for discussing Phra Thong Island, Yushiro Fujii for information on bathymetry in the Indian Ocean and tsunami height, Bancha Korsakun for logistical help, and Chuoi Tongjeen for permission. Two anonymous reviewers and an editor provided constructive comments. YS analyzed diatoms and provided the first draft. YS, MM and AP prepared final version of the text. All authors attended fieldwork (YS, KJ, MM; two seasons, MC, TC, AP; one season).