Tectonics Case studies

Question 1

When was the Montserrat eruption?

Answer 1

1995-1997

Question 2

What type of plate boundary was the Montserrat eruption?

Answer 2

A destructive plate boundary where the North American plate is subducted under the Caribbean plate

Question 3

What were some factors effecting the Montserrat eruption?

Answer 3

• It is a British overseas territory so they were able to receive aid
• The population is low income and relies on subsistence farming.

Question 4

What were some hazards present in the Montserrat eruption?

Answer 4

• 2/3 of the island was covered in ash
• flooding was caused by ash blocking river valleys
• lahars
• pyroclastic flows causing forest fires

Question 5

What impacts occurred after the Montserrat eruption?

Answer 5

• 23 deaths although these were due to not following evacuation procedures
• 7,000 people displaced
• airport closed causing a rapid decline in tourism and a 50% increase in unemployment.

Question 6

How were the impacts of the Montserrat eruption managed?

Answer 6

• The eruption had been predicted by the Montserrat volcanic observatory
• Hazard maps were created which declared 60% of the island unsafe
• The UK government sent £17 million in aid.
• Tourism increased in the long term

Question 7

When was the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo?

Answer 7

2002

Question 8

What type of plate boundary was the Mount Nyiragongo eruption on?

Answer 8

A constructive plate boundary in the East African rift valley, 50km from the city of Goma.

Question 9

What hazard were present at the Mount Nyiragongo eruption?

Answer 9

• 3 craters as well as a 3km spilt
• lava flowing at 40mph

Question 10

What were the impacts of the Mount Nyiragongo eruption?

Answer 10

• 30% of infrastructure in Goma was destroyed including hospitals
• Airport was cut in half by lava flows
• 147 people were killed as government chose to ignore warnings from scientists.
• An unplanned evacuation of half a million people took place into the Rwandan jungle.

Question 11

What plate boundary did the Iceland eruption happen at?

Answer 11

A constructive plate boundary on the mid Atlantic ridge where the North American plate and Eurasian plates pull apart.

Question 12

What hazards were present at the Iceland eruption?

Answer 12

• An ash plume 10km into the air
• A 500m long fissure spewing 1000c lava 150m in to the air
• Ice mixing with lava causing explosive eruption

Question 13

What impacts were there for Iceland?

Answer 13

• Fresh fish exports impacted causing a loss of income
• Water supplies contaminated by ash
• Well managed so no deaths

Question 14

What were the global impacts of the Iceland eruption?

Answer 14

• Europe lost $2.6 billion due to a drop in air passengers
• An 8-day travel ban cancelled around 100,000 flights
• African countries may have lost $65 million due to perishable exports

Question 15

What were the responses to the Iceland eruption?

Answer 15

• Iceland was well prepared due to high tech detecting equipment and a text message system to warn residents
• 700 people were evacuated away from areas affected by the ash

Question 16

When was the Kilauea eruption?

Answer 16

2018

Question 17

What was the plate boundary of the Kilauea eruption?

Answer 17

At a volcanic hotspot, where the Pacific plate moves over a mantle plume creating a chain of volcanic islands.

Question 18

What type of lava/eruption was at Kilauea?

Answer 18

Basaltic magma which is very hot, has low levels of gas and silica and erupts in effusive lava fountains.

Question 19

What were the impacts of the Kilauea eruption?

Answer 19

2,000 people evacuated. A 6.9 magnitude earthquake also occurred. 875 acres of land were added to the island due to lava flowing into the sea and solidifying.

Question 20

How is the lower quartile calculated?

Answer 20

n + 1 / 4

Question 21

How is the upper quartile calculated?

Answer 21

(n+1/4) X 3

Question 22

When was the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 22

2010

Question 23

What plate boundary was the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 23

A conservative plate boundary between the North American and Caribbean plate located at the Enriquillo fault.

Question 24

What factors effected the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 24

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. The judicial system is corrupt, and there is a lot of gang violence.

Question 25

What were the impacts of the Haiti earthquake?

Answer 25

• 1.5 million people made homeless
• Haiti lost 120% of it’s GDP ($7.8bn)
• people had to live in emergency camps
• Haiti is still struggling to recover

Question 26

When was the Sichuan earthquake?

Answer 26

2008

Question 27

What was the plate boundary of the Sichuan earthquake?

Answer 27

A collision (destructive) boundary where the South Asian and Eurasian plates are moving towards each other.

Question 28

impacts of Sichuan earthquake

Answer 28

5 million people were made homeless
ignored building codes resulted in schools falling down killing 5335 children

Question 29

Name a secondary hazard of the Sichuan earthquake

Answer 29

45,000 landslides were triggered which led to a quarter of earthquake related deaths

Question 30

what was the response to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake?

Answer 30

troops were parachuted to isolated areas to rescue survivors
2 years after 97% of the planned reconstruction project were started

Question 31

when and what magnitude was the Japanese earthquake and tsunami?

Answer 31

2011, 9.0, at the subduction zone between the pacific and north American plates

Question 32

impacts of Japanese earthquake and tsunami

Answer 32

18,500 deaths
Economic losses totalling 4% of japans GDP
damage to Fukushima nuclear plant

Question 33

How was Japan prepared?

Answer 33

75% Aseismic buildings
warning system 1 min for earthquake and 20 min for tsunami
10m high tsunami wall covered 40% of the coastline

Question 34

response of the japanese government

Answer 34

they accepted help from 20+ countries
the government responded within 24 hours

Question 35

where was the epicentre of the 2004 boxing day tsunami?

Answer 35

northwest of Sumatra, Indonesia and the focus was 18km deep

Question 36

impacts of 2004 tsunami

Answer 36

14 countries affected
1.7 million people displaced
mangroves protected marriott hotel in thailand

Question 37

responses to 2004 tsunami

Answer 37

oxfam helped 2.5 million people 2004-2009
world food program provided food aid
international community raised money

Question 38

What does paleomagnetism prove?

Answer 38

that reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field prove that new ocean crust is created by the process of sea-floor spreading at mid-ocean ridges.

Question 39

how many active volcanoes in the philipines?

Answer 39

24 active

Question 40

what hazards are there in the philipines?

Answer 40

typhoons, monsoons
deforestation
ring of fire