CARDIFF, WALES — The devastating impact of tsunamis could be reduced in future thanks to the power of sound. <br /> <br />Giant sound waves known as acoustic gravity-waves could be used to lessen the force of a tsunami before it hits land, according to applied mathematician Usama Kadri of Cardiff University. <br /> <br />Kadri’s theory, published in the journal Heliyon on Jan. 23, states that two acoustic gravity-waves would be released from a mitigation station in the ocean toward the tsunami. <br /> <br />The acoustic gravity-waves would exchange energy with the tsunami, spreading it out and reducing its maximum height. <br /> <br />Kadri said acoustic gravity-waves could have reduced the height of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami by 5 meters, which may have saved lives and property. <br /> <br />Any system based on the theory would require the installation of early tsunami detection systems, which Kadri said is relatively straightforward. <br /> <br />However, scientists have not worked out how to create acoustic gravity-waves yet, and this presents a challenging engineering problem.
