It is possible that from time to time that you have walked along the beach or near a cliff you have been able to observe a gigantic rock on the top of the same cliff or in the middle of the beach. Have you ever thought how it got there?
Scientists thought that the displacement of such rocks It was attributed to the powerful waves that take place during tsunamis. However, it has been found that this is not solely the case. So what does it take to move these types of rocks?
Moving 600-ton rocks
Scientists could not give any other kind of explanation for moving rocks up to 600 tonnes in weight other than the force of a tsunami. Only the gigantic waves of tsunamis are capable of moving such large and heavy rocks.
Waves, no matter how big, can only move objects up to 200 tons. So, scientists could not explain why the presence of such large rocks in places like these.
A group of researchers from the William College in MassachusettsThe United States has found that tsunamis do not need to occur to move rocks of this size.
The study has been led by Rónadh Cox and published in the journal Earth-Science Reviews. According to the study, the most gigantic waves, called vagabonds, are capable of moving objects weighing up to 620 tons, which would explain that the impact of the large waves that are generated during storms could be more powerful and dangerous than we think.
Analysis of movement and displacement
The team led by Cox has been analyzing the movement of a series of rocks on the west coast of Ireland during the winter of 2013 and 2014. To analyze the movement, photos were taken before and after several storms that occurred during that period. After the storms, the photos revealed that one of those gigantic rocks photographed with 620 tons of weight, it had moved 2,5 meters.
Of course, at first glance, 2,5 meters of displacement can not be a danger. However, the storms are happening in a constant and annual way, so the rocks can end up being displaced much further.
The marks caused by the strong waves in other rocks suggests that the waves are capable of moving objects even heavier than these rocks. This has not been proven in the time span of the study, but it is an estimate that they believe is appropriate.
In addition to the rock that moved 2,5 meters, the researchers they have been studying the pattern of movement of thousands of other smaller rocks. This study gives us a more or less elaborate idea of how the forces of waves caused by storms in these areas and other similar regions can produce impacts on objects so heavy that they exceed 600 tons.
Defend yourself and plan
In this situation, it is best to plan a defense and a surveillance system against the movement of objects so heavy that they can damage infrastructure or the coast. For this, the analysis of the movement of rocks can serve prediction to estimate the impact of waves on the coast and to be able to assess in a more precise way the damages that may be caused.
“A wave that can move a 600 ton rock can also move anything 600 tonnes. And if storms increase, as could be the case in light of climate change, the force of these kinds of waves that currently hit exposed coastal areas could reach coastal areas that are not affected by them today, "said Cox.
Therefore, it is important to know the force that vagrant waves can have, since, if they are capable of moving up to 600-ton objects, it can do a lot of damage to things. It is important to know this to plan well the defense of the coasts and vulnerable areas.