Midterm 2 Flashcards
Why is it not sufficient to be a good swimmer to survive a tsunami?
Debris and the power of the current would make swimming near impossible
How do subduction zone earthquake cause tsunamis?
the elastic rebound from the overriding plate breaking free of the subducting plate causes an uplift in the seafloor causing a wave of water as water first rises and then falls
What direction does an island above a subducting plate move between earthquakes
The island subsides (sinks) as the overriding plate is drawn down by the locked plate interface
What is the magnitude of subduction zone earthquakes that cause tsunamis?
M9 or larger; normally ruptures 100s of miles of a fault
How are tsunami waves traveling through the deep ocean influenced by seafloor topography?
A subduction tsunami is initiated on the seafloor; thus, it involves the full depth of the ocean
How do tsunami waves differ from large wind-blown waves?
Tsunami waves carry a larger volume of water, have a much larger wavelength, and travel further inland
Can a slip on an underwater strike-slip fault cause a tsunami?
No, as strike-slip faults will not cause a change in the height of the seafloor
What happens to a tsunami wave’s speed and height as it approaches shore?
The wave slows down which reduces wavelength, causing an increase in height
What happens to the distance between tsunami wave crests as they approach the shore?
The distance between the crests become shorter
What does “tsunami” translate to?
Harbor wave; this is because sometimes fishermen would encounter no unusual waves out at sea, then find their harbor destroyed by a huge wave
What happens to a boat in the middle of the ocean when a tsunami wave passes underneath?
A boat would rise less than a meter over a period of 10s of minutes and not be aware that a tsunami passed underneath
When does a wave moving toward the shore typically break?
Tsunami waves break when wave height is about equal to the water depth
Why are inlets (natural harbors) a dangerous place to be when a tsunami hits?
Because the incoming water gets trapped and piles up
Can an earthquake on the San Andreas Fault cause a tsunami?
No, the San Andreas Fault is a strike-slip fault and mostly on land
Can tsunami waves be deadly even miles inland from shore?
Yes
What is the approximate number of people killed by tsunamis in the past 1000 years?
Several hundred thousand
Was the 2011 Japan tsunami an unprecedented event in Japan’s history?
No, Japan has a history of tsunamis going back centuries
What is a Japanese tsunami stone?
Stones along the coast of Japan warning residents to not build below them
How do we know that the northwest coast of the U.S. has experienced large tsunamis?
Buried sand deposits along the coast of the Pacific northwest
How long does it take for a tsunami to reach the coastline?
About 5-10 minutes
Why does the sea level dramatically drop before a tsunami hits?
The oscillating wave brings water from the shoreline into it as the amplitude gains in height
Why is it dangerous to return to the beach after a tsunami wave first arrives?
Tsunamis typically consist of multiple waves that hit the shore over the span of several hours
What is a tsunami seawall?
A concrete barrier built near the shoreline to stop tsunamis from reaching inland
How long does it take for a tsunami wave to cross the Pacific?
Almost 24 hours
Why was there a high death toll in the Indonesian tsunami of 2004?
Lack of education about tsunamis and a system to notify the public if a tsunami is suspected
How does the DART tsunami early warning system work?
The DART system detects water pressure changes on the seafloor
What process causes the largest tsunamis?
Asteroid impact, though an asteroid induced tsunami has never been observed
What process caused the largest tsunami run-up recorded in the past 100 years?
A landslide
How long does it take for a tsunami to travel from the Åkerneset cliffs to Geiranger?
About 10 minutes
What generally causes tsunamis at the Hawaiian Islands?
Underwater landslides on the largest island, the only current volcanically active one
What is most likely to cause a tsunami to hit the U.S. east coast?
Underwater landslides on the flanks of volcanoes like the Canary Islands, which have very steep underwater cliff faces
What was the cause of the tsunami the killed 36,000 people in Indonesia in 1883?
The volcanic eruption of Krakatoa
What are the vulnerabilities of Florida if a 10-km-diameter asteroid hit the Gulf of Mexico?
Everything as the impact would cause megatsunamis over 100m tall
What is the difference between the magma and lava?
Magma is melted rock beneath the surface of the earth, lava is melted rock extruded onto the surface of the earth
Is there an ocean of magma beneath the lithosphere?
No, most of the mantle is below its melting point
What is the temperature of the mantle compared to its melting temperature?
The temperature of the mantle is on a curve, most of which is lower than the melting point of rock
What processes promote the melting of hot rocks?
- An increase in temperature
- A decrease in pressure (depressurized melting)
- An addition of water to the mineralogy (hydration-induced melting)
What is the type of volcanism found far from plate boundaries?
Hot spots