Key Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Asthenosphere

A

The upper mantle layer of the Earth. It is semi-molten and approximately 2000km wide

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2
Q

Ash

A

Fine particles and dust ejected during an eruption, which can remain airborne as clouds or accumulate on the ground

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3
Q

Benioff Zone

A

A region of the subducting plate, most affected by pressure and friction, where most destructive margin earthquakes origionate

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4
Q

Continental Crust

A

Crust that forms the continents of the lithosphere, approximately 35km thick.

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5
Q

Continental Drift

A

The movement of tectonic plates, due to varying weights of crust. It was origionally thought that convection currents caused the movement of the plates, but now slab pull is thought of as the primary driving force.

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6
Q

Controlled Burning

A

Intentionally burning vegetation with the aim of reducing fuel available for a wildfire and disrupting the fire’s path.

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7
Q

Convection Currents

A

The circulation of magma within the asthenosphere. Magma is heated by radioactive processes in the core and cools at the surface , and so circulates between the two plates.

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8
Q

Coriolis Effect

A

The Earth’s spin affects the movement of air masses and winds, depending on a locations latitude.

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9
Q

Crown fires

A

Wildfires that burn the entirety of a tree (from top to bottom), often the most destructive and dangerous type of wildfire.

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10
Q

Park Model

A

This model shows how quality of life is affected by any hazardous event.

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11
Q

Epicentre

A

The point on the surface, directly above the earthquakes origin.

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12
Q

Fatalism

A

The belief that hazards are uncontrollable, so any losses should be accepted and mitigation is unnecessary.

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13
Q

Fire Breaks

A

The felling of trees and clearing vegetation to create a gap to disrupt a wildfire’s path

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14
Q

Focus

A

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

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15
Q

Ground Fires

A

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

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16
Q

Hazard Management Cycle

A

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

17
Q

Hot Spot

A

Volcanoes found away from the plate boundary, due to a magma plume closer to the surface

18
Q

Jokulhlaups

A

Sudden glacial floods caused by a glacier on top of or near a volcano melting due to the heat from eruption.

18
Q

Lahar

A

A flow of water, mud and debris

18
Q

Lithosphere

A

The upper crust of the Earth, average thickness of 100km

19
Q

Mid-Ocean Ridge

A

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

20
Q

Moment Magnitude Scale

A

A measure of an earthquake’s energy released. Considered the most accurate measure

21
Q

Oceanic Crust

A

Crust, usually thinner than continental crust, that forms at the sea floor. On average 7km thick

22
Q

Paleomagnetism

A

The alternating polarisation of new land created. As magma cools, the magnetic elements within will align with the Earth’s magnetic field, which can alernate over thousands of years

23
Q

Park’s Model

A

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

24
Q

Primary Waves

A

An earthquake wave causing compressions within the body of a rock

25
Q

Pyroclastic Flow

A

A mixture of gases and rock fragments, at high temperatures travelling at rapid speeds

26
Q

Richter Scale

A

A logarithmic measuire of earthquake’s intensity

27
Q

Secondary Waves

A

An earthquake wave causing vertival displacement within the body of the rock

28
Q

Seismic Waves

A

The energy released during an earthquake, in the form of Primary, Secondary, Love and Rayleigh waves

29
Q

Slab Pull

A

The force contributing to the movement of tectonic plates. Slab pull is due to the weight of the plate

30
Q

Subduction

A

Oceanic plate is forced below continental plate, due to the oceanic plate being more dense than the continental plate

31
Q

Surface Fires

A

Wildfires that only burn the leaf litter, and so are the easiest kind to extinguish

32
Q

Tropical Storm

A

A low pressure system of spiralling winds (due to the coiolis effect). Called Hurricanes, Cyclones and Typhoons

33
Q

Tsunami

A

Initial vertical water displacement (often from a submarine earthquake) creates waves, with large destructive power.

34
Q

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)

A

A meaure of the magnitude of a volcano’s eruptions

35
Q

Volcanic Island Arc

A

A series of volcanoes (often in the shape of an arc) that are formed consecutively, as a tectonic plate moves across a magma plume

36
Q

Wildfire

A

A large, uncontrolled fire that quickly spreads through vegetation