Modeling tsunami propagation in the Iberia–Africa plate boundary: Historical events, regional exposure and the case-study of the former Gulf of Tartessos

A numerical model to simulate tsunami propagation in south of Iberia waters has been developed. It is based on the 2D non-linear hydrodynamic equations and allows calculating tsunami run-ups. The model has been validated through the simulation of historical tsunamis. Then it is applied to a risk assessment study to evaluate tsunami flooding along the Spanish and Moroccan coasts. A spectral analysis of tsunami waves has also been carried out. Finally, the model has been applied to simulate tsunami propagation in the former Gulf of Tartessos, where the city of the same name could have been located. The objective consists of evaluating if a large tsunami could have destroyed it, as some historians suggest.

► Description of a numerical model for tsunami propagation in south Iberia waters
► Tested by simulation of historical events
► Applied to a risk assessment study and spectral analysis of wave periods
► Simulation of tsunami effects on the former Gulf of Tartessos
► Could Tartessos city have been destroyed by a large tsunami?