TsuPy: Computational robustness in Tsunami hazard modelling

Modelling wave propagation is the most essential part in assessing the risk and hazard of tsunami and storm surge events. For the computational assessment of the variability of such events, many simulations are necessary. Even today, most of these simulations are generally run on supercomputers due to the large amount of computations necessary. In this study, a simulation framework, named TsuPy, is introduced to quickly compute tsunami events on a personal computer. It uses the parallelized power of GPUs to accelerate computation. The system is tailored to the application of robust tsunami hazard and risk modelling. It links up to geophysical models to simulate event sources. The system is tested and validated using various benchmarks and real-world case studies. In addition, the robustness criterion is assessed based on a sensitivity study comparing the error impact of various model elements e.g. of topo-bathymetric resolution, knowledge of Manning friction parameters and the knowledge of the tsunami source itself. This sensitivity study is tested on inundation modelling of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami, showing that the major contributor to model uncertainty is in fact the representation of earthquake slip as part of the tsunami source profile. TsuPy provides a fast and reliable tool to quickly assess ocean hazards from tsunamis and thus builds the foundation for a globally uniform hazard and risk assessment for tsunamis.