Computational Earthquake and Tsunami Research

U nderstanding and mitigating the effects of disasters requires the integration of research and practice in multiple science, engineering, technology, and social science fields to create a world that’s more resilient in terms of public safety, economic strength, and collective welfare. The January/February 2011 issue of CiSE explored hurricane prediction.1 Hurricanes are one of many natural disasters threatening our populations and infrastructure. Recent events have made it clear that earthquakes—and the large tsunamis that they can cause—also represent significant threats against which we must prepare ourselves. The earthquakes in Haiti (2010), Chile (2010), New Zealand (2011), and Japan (2011) have shown