Parker - The power of the sea : tsunamis, storm surges, rogue waves, and our quest to predict disasters

Praise for The Power of the Sea

Anyone who appreciates the fact that the sea remains something we cannot control will love this book from Bruce Parker. You will come away with a better understanding of why the sea will leave us in awe till the end of time.

Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel

From the ancient tides to ingenious ways of predicting tsunamis and weighing the impact of climate change today, Bruce Parkers The Power of the Sea is an engaging and essential history of science. Its also a terrific account of survival on our wild blue planet.

David Helvarg, author of Saved by the Sea: A Love Story with Fish

Bruce Parker is not only a brilliant scientist but a natural storyteller as well. The Power of the Sea presents the destructive nature of ocean waves in human terms. For me, the power of The Power of the Sea lies in the compelling personal stories that make the book immensely readable. From Napoleons near-death encounter with a raging Red Sea tide, to the vital importance of predicting tide and swell before the D-Day landings, to the individual acts of heroism during the tragic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to the epic storm surges that continue to flood Bangladesh and Myanmar today, Parker never loses sight of the uneasy alliance between man and sea. All who ply or live near the sea should read this book. Be warned, you may never look at the ocean the same way again.

John Kretschmer, author of At the Mercy of the Sea and columnist for Sailing magazine

In a changing world driven by the sea, it is important for everyone to understand how it works. Bruce Parker has blended history and science into a book that clearly and often dramatically explains how and why the sea will affect their livesnow and in the future. This is a must-read for anyone who has ever been awed by the ocean.

Dan Basta, Director, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Rarely does a book written by a practicing scientist grab you like this one. Intelligent, accurate, and accessible, The Power of the Sea reads like a Believe It or Not of aquatic destruction. The largest wave in history? What did the tides have to do with the Normandy invasion? What should we have done about Katrina? For the answers to these and other questions you never thought to ask, read Bruce Parkers wonderful book.

Richard Ellis, author of The Empty Ocean and Tuna: Love, Death, and Mercury

A vivid portrayal of sea disasters and the important role that the ocean has played in so many historic events. An illuminating scientific look at how we have learned to predict such disasters and what still needs to be done to safeguard us from future global calamities.

Curtis Ebbesmeyer, author of Flotsametrics and the Floating World

The Power of the Sea is the best book I have ever read about tsunamis, storm surges, or rogue waves. It dramatically demonstrates the need to better understand the awesome power of the sea if we are to save lives and property.

Jerry Schubel, President, Aquarium of the Pacific

Whether you love history, science, or just want to know how the world shapes our lives, this is both an informative and enjoyable read.

Margaret Davidson, Director, NOAA Coastal Services Center

This richly researched, eloquent volume gives the reader a front-row seat where the action plays out. Dr. Parkers thorough knowledge of the subject is abundantly evident and his comfortable and informative style makes this a must-read for anyone interested in the environment. The power of the sea is palpable in Dr. Parkers treatment of a fascinating diversity of historically significant events.

Richard Spinrad, Director, NOAAs Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and former Technical Director to the Oceanographer of the Navy

An appealing overview of sea movements. Former National Ocean Service Chief Scientist Bruce Parker... mixes hair-raising descriptions of disasters with efforts to understand them, followed by advances, mostly since 1800, in predicting sea movements, a complex process that today involves satellites, supercomputers, and worldwide warning networks. Focusing on water aloneleaving marine life to Rachel Carson and othersthe author provides a lucid, original contribution to popular-science writing.

Kirkus Reviews

Prediction is the focal point of Parkers narrative, and a lively, story-driven one it is... Riveting readers with analyses of catastrophes such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Parker delivers science in dramatic and digestible form.

Booklist

I suggest you read The Power of the Sea, a fascinating exploration of the subject by Bruce Parker.

Andrew Revkin, Dot Earth blog, The New York Times

Entertaining while at the same time providing a wealth of information... very worthwhile and rewarding... I heartily recommend this book.

Journal of Coastal Research

THE POWER OF THE

SEA

Tsunamis, Storm Surges, Rogue Waves, and Our Quest to Predict Disasters

BRUCE PARKER

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the authors copyright, please notify the publisher at: us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

To Diane

Contents

Escaping the Seas Fury through Prediction

The Tide

The Tide Predictions for D-Day

Predicting Storm Surges

Flooded Cities

Predicting Sea, Swell, and Surf

Rogue Waves

Trying to Predict Tsunamis

Tragic Surprise in the Indian Ocean

Learning from a Tragedy

El Nio, Climate Change, and the Global Ocean Observing System

The 2011 Japan Tsunami

Figures

Figure 0.1 Map showing locations of some of the stories from the book (Western Hemisphere)

Figure 0.2 Map showing locations of some of the stories from the book (Eastern Hemisphere)

THE POWER OF THE SEA

Copyright Bruce Parker, 2010, 2012.

All rights reserved.

For information, address St. Martins Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

First published in hardcover in 2010 by

PALGRAVE MACMILLAN

in the United Statesa division of St. Martins Press LLC,

175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

ISBN: 9780230120747

Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, ext. 5442, or by e-mail at .

The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition as follows:

Parker, Bruce B.

The power of the sea : tsunamis, storm surges, rogue waves, and our quest to predict disasters / Bruce Parker.

p. cm.(MacSci)

Includes index.

ISBN 9780230616370

1. Ocean. 2. Ocean and civilization. 3. OceanEnvironmental aspects. I. Title.

GC28.P37 2010

551.46dc22 2010013626

A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library.

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