Tsunami deposits

Geological investigations of coastal sediments indicate that prehistoric ts unamis can be identified. Their characterisation has altered our knowledge of the past frequency and magnitude of tsunamis for different areas of the world. Yet there have been relatively few geological studies of modern tsun amis with virtually no direct observations of the processes associated with tsunami sediment transport and deposition. This paper discusses these issu es and draws on the results of recent research to summarise our current kno wledge on the nature of tsunami deposits.