Inundation patterns in Huelva, SW Europe, due to tsunami impact

This study describes the activity conducted, in the framework of TRANSFER EU, STREP37058, on the test arearea of Huelva, Spain. This city is, undoubtfully, one of the most affected areas in case of a tsunami event generated in the Gulf of Cadiz (SW IBERIA). Historical records and sedimentary deposits suggest that the area has been hitted by several tsunamis during the Holocene. The Huelva estuary is formed by the cofluence of the rivers Tinto and Odiel. This is an interesting case study due to the fact that the area is characterized by vary shallow topography, making it prone to tsunami inundation; the fact that the estuary is an alternate pattern of dry and wet areas makes the interpretation less straightforward than in araes with a simpler geometry. Inundation studies are performed using model earthquake, of magnitude 8.1 - 8.75, representing the "typical faults" in the Gulf of Cadiz area. The tsunami generation is simulated assuming that the initial wave profile follows the deformation of the ocean and that this deformation can be calculated using the Okada's equations. A sensitivity analysis due to variations in source parameters, dip and strike angles and slip along the fault plane is addressed. Each source parameter study is alloud to vary separately in order to isolate its influence in run up and flow depth at the coast.The results are presented in terms of flow depth maps.