Numerical Modelling of Mass Failure Processes and Tsunamigenesis on the Rockall Trough, NE Atlantic Ocean

Submarine scarps of large extent have been observed on the eastern margin of the Rockall Bank, c.400km NW of Ireland, in the NE Atlantic Ocean. The scarps provide evidence that major submarine mass movements have taken place in the area over the past 16 ka. The Rockall Bank Slide Complex (RBSC) has dimensions of 120 by 150km (width-to-length aspect ratio) and volumes of remobilised sediments estimated between 265 and 765 km³. The main scope of this paper is to shed light on the tsunamigenic potential of a landslide that remobilised this amount of sediment and generated this morphology in a single event. To do this we numerically investigate the landslide dynamics and the landslide induced tsunami waves. To address the effect of the landslide properties on the tsunami wave characteristics multiple scenarios with different landslide parameter combinations are being tested. Finally, the best fit solutions are considered in the numerical simulations of the landslide tsunamis.