Técnicas histórico-etnográficas en la reconstrucción y caracterización de tsunamis: el ejemplo del gran tsunami del 22 de junio de 1932, en las costas del Pacífi co mexicano

Abstract

The magnitude of damage caused by tsunamis in the past decade has encouraged scientists to expand our knowledge about tsunami dynamics and behavior. This study applies a multidisciplinary analysis, including historical and ethnographic techniques, in the reconstruction and characterization of tsunamis with no instrumental record. The example of the 22 June 1932 tsunami, the second most destructive recorded in the Pacific Coast of Mexico is used. The cause of this tsunami is uncertain. Two hypotheses are proposed: 1) seismic slip, and 2) a submarine landslide. Historical archives, interviews with local witnesses, and GIS mapping, aided in identifying key components of the tsunami dynamics: arrival time, directivity, affected area, and maximum wave heights at the coast. Based on historical data, we applied numerical models (GEOWAVE and FUNWAVE codes) to the two possible mechanisms of tsunami generation. The results show that a submarine landslide explains best the cause of the 1932 tsunami