Hazards Definitions 1

Question 1

Accretion wedge

Answer 1

Accumulation of material at the point of subduction

Question 2

Aseismic buildings

Answer 2

Buildings designed to withstand or minimise destruction during an earthquake

Question 3

Asthenosphere

Answer 3

Upper mantle layer of the earth. Semi Molten and 2000km wide

Question 4

Ash

Answer 4

Fine particles and dust ejected during an eruption, which can remain air borne of accumulate in the ground

Question 5

Continental crust

Answer 5

Crust that forms the the continents of the lithosphere ( 35km thick )

Question 6

Continental drift

Answer 6

Movement of tectonic plates, due to varying weights of crust

Question 7

Controlled burning

Answer 7

Intentionally burning vegetation with the aim of reducing fuel available for a wild fire and disturbing its path

Question 8

Convection currents

Answer 8

Circulation of magma without the mantle. Magma is heated by radioactive processes in the core and cools at the surface and so circulates between two places.

Question 9

Coriolis effect

Answer 9

The earths spin affects the movement of air masses.

Question 10

Crown fires

Answer 10

Wildfires that burn the entirety of a tree, often the most destructive and dangerous type of fire

Question 11

Deggs model

Answer 11

This model shows that a hazard becomes a disaster if it effects a vulnerable population

Question 12

Epicentre

Answer 12

The point on the surface directly above the earthquakes origin

Question 13

Fatalism

Answer 13

The belief that hazards are uncontrollable so any losses should be accepted and mitigation is unessacery

Question 14

Fire breaks

Answer 14

The felling of trees and clearing vegetation, to create a gap to disrupt a wildfires path

Question 15

Focus

Answer 15

The place in the crust where the pressure/ siesmic energy is released

Question 16

Ground fires

Answer 16

Wildfires that burn through the peat and vegetation beneath the surface making them slow but difficult to extinguish

Question 17

Hazard management cycle

Answer 17

The sequence of governance of a natural hazard: preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation

Question 18

Hot spot

Answer 18

Volcanoes found away from plate boundaries, due to a magma plume close to the surface

Question 19

Hot spot

Answer 19

Volcanoes found away from plate boundaries, due to a magma plume close to the surface

Question 20

Jokulhaup

Answer 20

A sudden glacial flood caused by a glacier on top or near a volcano melting

Question 21

Lahar

Answer 21

A flow of mud and debris

Question 22

Lithosphere

Answer 22

The upper crust of the earth

Question 23

Love waves

Answer 23

A surface earthquake wave with horizontal displacement

Question 24

Mid ocean ridge

Answer 24

Parting oceanic plates at a constructive plate boundary created a ridge, with new land at the base of the oceanic valley

Question 25

Moment Magnitude Scale

Answer 25

A measure of an earthquakes energy released considered the most accurate measure

Question 26

Oceanic crust

Answer 26

Crust, usually thinner and than continental, that forms the sea floor. It is average 7 thick

Question 27

Paleomagnetism

Answer 27

The altering polarisation of new land created. As magma cools the magnetic elements within align with the earths magnetic field, wich can alternate over thousands of years

Question 28

Park model

Answer 28

A model describing the decline and recovery of a country over time, following a natural disaster

Question 29

Partial melting

Answer 29

Elements within the lithosphere have different melting points and so the rock is partially melted, partially solid

Question 30

Primary waves

Answer 30

An earthquake wave causing compressions within the body of a pick

Question 31

Pyroclastic flow

Answer 31

A mixture of gases and rock fragments at high temps traveling at rapid speeds

Question 32

Rayleigh waves

Answer 32

A surface earthquake wave causing both horizontal and vertical displacement

Question 33

Richter scale

Answer 33

A Letitia measure of an earthquakes intensity. Logarithmic scale

Question 34

Secondary waves

Answer 34

An earthquake wave causing both horizontal and vertical displacement

Question 35

Seismic waves

Answer 35

The energy released during an earthquake in the form of primary secondary, love and Rayleigh waves.

Question 36

Slab pull

Answer 36

The force contributing to the movement of tectonic plates dues to the weight of the plate

Question 37

Subduction

Answer 37

Oceanic plate is forced bellow continental plate due to the oceanic plate being more dense than the continental plate.

Question 38

Surface fires

Answer 38

Wildfires that only burn the leaf litter and so are easy to extinguish

Question 39

Tropical storm

Answer 39

A low pressure system of spiralling winds. Also called hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons

Question 40

Tsunami

Answer 40

Initial vertical water displacement creates waves with large destructive power

Question 41

Volcanic explosivity index (VEI)

Answer 41

A measure of the magnitude of a volcanoes eruption

Question 42

Volcanic island arc

Answer 42

A series of volcanoes that are formed consecutively, as a tectonic plate moves across a magma plume

Question 43

Wadati- Benioff zone

Answer 43

A regional of subducting plate, most affected by pressure and friction, where most destructive margin earthquakes originate

Question 44

Wild fire

Answer 44

A large, uncontrolled fire that spreads quickly through vegetation