*Challenge of Natural Hazards (Paper 1) Flashcards
This is a compulsory topic. It covers natural hazards, tectonic hazards, weather hazards and climate change.
What is a ‘natural hazard’?
A natural event (for example earthquake, volcanic eruption, tropical storm, flood) that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death.
What is hazard risk?
Hazard risk is the chance or probability of being affected by a natural event
List some examples of natural hazards (and their category if you can)
- _Tectonic hazards_ (e.g. earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption)
- _Atmospheric hazards_ (e.g. hurricanes)
- _Geomorphological hazards_ (e.g flooding)
- _Biological hazards_ (e.g. forest fires)
What factors affect hazard risk?
- Poverty - poorer places will struggle to adequately prepare for a hazard or be able to respond.
- Magnitude - the severity of the hazard will make the impacts worse
- Population density - areas that have high populations will experience more destruction.
- Education - how educated the population are to react and prepare for the hazard
Describe the structure of the earth starting from the outermost layer?
OUTERMOST: 1. Crust - the outermost layer of the Earth, broken into tectonic plates.
2. Mantle - semi-molten part of the Earth.
3. Outer core - liquid iron and nickel
CENTRE: 4. Inner core - solid iron and nickel
What causes the plates to move?
Convection currents in the mantle
What are convection currents?
Circulating movements of magma in the mantle caused by the heat of the core
Describe the global distribution of earthquakes?
Earthquakes occur in lines which coincide with plate margins. There are many along the western coast of North and South America.
Describe the global distribution of volcanic eruptions.
Volcanoes are found both on land and in the sea. They tend to be found along plate margins. Some volcanoes are found in the centre of plates. These are known as hot spots. There is a large band of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean known as the Ring of Fire.
What is oceanic crust?
The part of the Earth’s crust which is below the oceans.
What is continental crust?
The part of the Earth’s crust that makes the continents
What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?
- Oceanic crust is thinner (5-10km thick) and more dense than continental crust.
- Oceanic crust is recycled at destructive margins as it subducts under the continental crust.
- Continental crust is thicker (20-200km thick) and is less dense than oceanic crust.
- Continental crust cannot be destroyed.
What is a conservative plate margin?
A plate margin where the tectonic plates are sliding past each other
What is a constructive plate margin?
A plate margin where the tectonic plates are moving apart
What is a destructive plate margin?
A plate margin where an oceanic and a continental plate collide.
What are tectonic hazards?
Threats posed by earthquakes, volcanoes etc
What is subduction?
The transformation into magma of a denser tectonic plate as it dives under a less dense plate
Define ‘epicentre’?
The point on the ground directly above the focus (centre) of the earthquake
Define ‘focus’?
The point of origin of an earthquake
Define ‘magnitude’?
The size of an earthquake
What is an ocean trench?
A deep depression on the ocean floor formed at the subduction zones of destructive plate margins
What are tectonic plates?
The large pieces of broken crust that cover the earth
What is a plate margin?
The boundary between two tectonic plates
What are primary effects?
The impacts of a natural disaster that happen immediately or soon after the event
Define response?
The way in which people react to a situation eg. an earthquake
What are secondary effects?
The after effects of a disaster eg. disease spreads or economic losses
Define ‘tsunami’?
Huge waves caused by earthquakes under the sea
List two characteristics of an oceanic crust
- 5-10 km thick
- Dense
- Destroyed at destructive plate margins
- Forms constantly at constructive plate margins
- Geologically young compared to continental crust
List two characteristics of a continental crust
- 25-100km thick
- Less dense (than oceanic)
- Cannot be destroyed. New crust is not formed
- It is geologically old 3-4 billion years old
What is an earthquake?
Earthquakes are vibrations in the Earth’s crust that create shaking at the surface. They are highly unpredictable and often occur suddenly without warning, mainly on the plate margins
Do earthquakes happen on all four plate boundaries?
Yes
Why do earthquakes happen?
- Earthquakes occur because stresses build up between the plates as one plate passes another.
- As the plates move past one another they don’t do so smoothly, rather, they snag and grind, allowing energy to build up.
- When the plates eventually move again this energy is released as shock or seismic waves through the Earth’s crust.
- The point at which the earthquake is occurring is called the focus.
- The point above this on the surface of the earth is called the epicentre.
List two characteristics of a composite volcano?
- Made up of alternating layers of lava and ash (other volcanoes just consist of lava)
- Found at destructive boundaries
- Often has pyroclastic flows. A pyroclastic flow is a mixture of hot steam, ash, rock and dust
- A pyroclastic flow can roll down the sides of a volcano at very high speeds and with temperatures of over 400°C
List two characteristics of a shield volcano?
- Shield volcanoes are usually found at constructive or tensional boundaries
- They are low, with gently sloping sides
- They are formed by eruptions of thin, runny lava
- Eruptions tend to be frequent but relatively gentle
Can we predict volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?
- Volcanoes - Yes
- Earthquakes - No
List some reasons why people live in areas at risk from tectonic hazards?
- Fertile farmland on volcanic soil (environmental)
- Income from tourism (economic)
- Lack of other alternatives (social)
- Mining precious minerals (socio-economic)
How do we measure the size of the earthquake?
Richter Scale - Measured from 1-9
At which plate margin can earthquakes occur?
All plate margins (constructuve, destructive and conservative)
At which plate margin can volcanoes occur?
Shield volcanoes form at constructive margins
Composite volcanoes form at destructive margins
Describe the primary effects of the Nepal earthquake
- 9,000 deaths
- 20,000 people injured
- 3 million without a home
- US$5 billion of damage
- 50% shops destroyed
- Airport became congested as aid arrived
- Schools and buildings destroyed
- 1.4 million people needed food and water days after the quake
Describe the secondary effects of the Nepal earthquake
- Ground shaking triggered landslides and avalanches, blocking roads, making relief difficult
- Avalanches killed 19 people
- A landslide blocked the Kali Gandaki River - causing risk of flood.
Describe the primary effects of the L’Aquila earthquake
- 300 people were killed
- 1,500 were injured
- Hospitals damaged
- 67,000 homeless
- 10,000 buildings collapsed (including medieval buildings and monuments, univeristies and hospitals)
Describe the secondary effects of the L’Aquila earthquake
- Aftershocks triggered landslides
- L’Aquila University student numbers reduced
- House prices increased
- Some areas were so unsafe they were declared as ‘red zones’ which has led to a decrease in business and tourism
Describe the immediate responses to the L’Aqulia earthquake
- Hotels (and some train carriages) provided shelter for 10,000 people.
- Italian Red Cross searched for survivors.
- The British Red Cross raised £170,000 in aid.
- A state of emergency was declared which which sped up international aid efforts.
- The EU donated US$550 million to help with rebuilding costs
Describe the immediate responses to the Nepal earthquake
- Other countries helped in search and rescue and provided medical supplies.
- Helicopters rescued people caught in the avalanche on Mount Everest.
- Half a million tents needed to provide shelter for the homeless
- Field hospitals were set up to alleviate pressure on hospitals.
- 300,000 people migrated from Kathmandu
- Social media helped to map damage of area
Describe the long term responses to the Nepal earthquake?
- Roads repaired and landslides cleared.
- Lakes, formed by landslides damming rivers, were emptied to avoid flooding.
- Homeless were re-housed.
- School to be re-built or repaired.
- Reopening of some heritage sites to boost tourism.
- Everest Base camp repaired
Describe the long term responses to the L’Aquila earthquake?
- Residents did not have to pay tax during 2010.
- University students were given free public transport, discounts on educational equipment and were exempt from university fees for 3 years.
- Years of rebuilding homes
- Approx 15 years to rebuild historic centres.
Describe what is meant by ‘monitoring’ tectonic hazards?
Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs of events such as a volcanic eruption
What is meant by ‘prediction’?
Using evidence and monitoring information to make a judgement about when an earthquake or volcano is likely to happen.
What is meant by tectonic hazard ‘protection’?
Designing buildings to withstand tectonic hazards