[1] A transpacific tsunami reported from Japan and Hawaii was triggered by the Chilean event, rather than the Aleutian Islands earthquake.

It is thought that this tear is caused by the unusually sharp curvature of this part of the arc coupled with the interaction of Bowers Ridge in the over-riding plate with the subduction zone.

[2][3] Analysis of this earthquake using modern techniques has been possible due to the large collection of seismograms recording this event published in 1907.

Based on the estimated focal mechanism of the Aleutian Islands event and the timing of the observed run-ups, the tsunami is thought to have resulted from the earthquake in Chile.

[1] The short time interval between these two major earthquake has raised the possibility of the event in Chile being triggered in some way by the earlier earthquake in the Aleutian Islands, particularly as the later event occurred during the passage of the wavefronts of its body waves through the epicentral area.