Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

GEOG 235 > Natural Hazards > Flashcards

Natural Hazards Flashcards

1
Q

Earth Processes and Energy Sources

A

Earth processes driven by Earth’s internal heat: portions of the Rock Cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis

Earth processes driven by insolation: portions of the Rock Cycle, hydrologic cycle, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, severe storms, river floods, coastal erosion

Earth processes driven by gravity: landslides, snow avalanches, river flow

Naturally occurring Earth processes become hazardous when they threaten human populations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How to classify natural hazards

A

Geologic – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides; links to Rock and Tectonic Cycles (see Fig. 1.8, p. 11)

Atmospheric – tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves; droughts, blizzards; links to the Hydrologic Cycle

Hydrologic – river floods, sea-level rise, coastal flooding; links to the Hydrologic Cycle

Biologic – epidemics of plant, animal, and human diseases, wildfires, mass extinctions; links to Biogeochemical Cycles and food webs

Technological/social hazards and disasters: are directly generated by humans without the interaction of natural processes

Hazards are commonly linked to each other as well as the environment in which they occur (e.g. earthquakes and tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions and lahars)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Hazard

A

Probability that a specific damaging event will happen within a particular time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Risk

A

Derives form a combination of hazards, exposure, vulnerability, coping capacity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Exposure

A

Overlap of hazardous process with human populations and infrastructure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Vulnerability

A

Susceptibility of human populations to a hazardous event

Damage to infrastructure; loss of life

Loss of livelihoods; physical displacement; psychological impacts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Coping Capacity

A

Ability of populations to respond to and or reduce negative impacts of a hazardous event

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Estimating Risk

A

Risk = Likelihood x Cost

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Likelihood

A

An estimate, based on previous events, referring to the chance of a hazard happening in a specific amount of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Cost

A

Refers to the impact of a particular hazard
Damages to property and infrastructure
Number of persons seriously injured or fatalities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are natural disasters?

A

Emergency Management Framework for Canada’s defines a natural disaster as meeting one or more of the following criteria:

10 or more people killed

100 or more people affected/injured/infected/evacuated or homeless

an appeal for national/international assistance

historical significance

significant damage/interruption of normal processes such that the community affected cannot recover on its own

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Natural Catastrophes

A

Catastrophes are associated with greater numbers of causalities and destruction and infrastructure

The event has consequences well beyond that area/region directly affected by the event.

recovery will demand large and long-term expenditures of time, human effort, and money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

An increase in the number of natural disasters

A

There is a overall worldwide trend that the number of natural disasters is increasing
In Canada this has been associated with:

A decrease in lives lost, but an increase in economic losses…why?

Canada’s vulnerability to disasters is increasing.
There is a focus on recovery and some mitigation efforts in Canada.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Magnitude

A

refers to the strength and sometimes the intensity of the hazard.

There are several different quantitative scales used to compare the magnitude of events:
• Richter scale vs. moment magnitude vs. Mercalli intensity scale for earthquakes
• Volcanic explosivity index (VEI)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Frequency

A

refers to how often the event is likely to occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Reoccurrence Interval

A

Estimate of the interval of time between events of a certain intensity or size

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Magnitude-Frequency Relation

A

There is generally an inverse relationship between magnitude and frequency, the larger the magnitude, the less frequent the event.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Duration

A

refers to the length of time the event lasts. hours, days, weeks, months.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Extent

A

refers to the size of region affected by the event. hurricanes and tornadoes occur at different spatial scales

20
Q

Spatial Predictability

A

Refers to where hazardous are located or centered (spatial) and to some extent or not the hazard can be predicted.

21
Q

Speed of Onset

A

Refers to the speed at which the peak of the hazard arises; may be rapid, moderate, or slow

The speed of onset affects the time available to predict the event and to evaluate those at risk accordingly (e.g. Mount Pinatubo, 1991); predictions at the onset of the climactic eruption led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from the surrounding areas

22
Q

Rapid Onset

A

Develop with little warning and strike rapidly

23
Q

Moderate Onset

A

Develop with some warning (e.g. volcanic eruptions, floods)

24
Q

Slow Onset

A

Take years to develop (e.g, drought, disease epidemics.)

25
Q

Understanding Past History

A

Natural hazards are recurrent events
• To evaluate risk, we need to understand the geologic history of a region, often extending back hundreds or thousands of years
• We can look to maps, aerial photographs, and satellite images for recent changes in the landscape
• We often need to examine the geologic record for further evidence of past events (e.g. tsunami, landslides, lava flows)

26
Q

Event Profiles

A

Event profiles are a common way of comparing different natural hazards and the physical processes or attributes that they share.

27
Q

Primary Effects

A

Occur as a result of the natural process itself.

Buildings collapse due to earthquake.

28
Q

Secondary Effects

A

Occur only because a primary effect has caused them.

Fires ignited because of earthquake.

29
Q

Tertiary Effects

A

Long-term effects caused by the event

Cholera epidemic after an earthquake

30
Q

Physical Vulnerability

A

living in close proximity to hazard-prone regions

31
Q

Social Vulnerability

A

differences in availability of resources and aid

32
Q

Structural Vulnerability

A

integrity of the built environment

33
Q

Economic Vulnerability

A

variations in ability to respond to hazards based on differing economic systems

34
Q

Cultural Vulnerability

A

examines the roles that customs, beliefs, values, social organization, and knowledge play in society’s policies and behaviour

35
Q

Institutional Vulnerability

A

refers to the capacity of the governing system to protect society from hazards

36
Q

Disaster Management

A

: includes public policies, strategies, and practices with the aim of preventing, managing and reducing the impact of disaster.

There is growing recognition that countries must shift to pro-active (pre-event) rather than re-active (post-event) responses to disasters

37
Q

Preparedness

A

Planning and facilitating an effective response to a hazard event

38
Q

Response

A

Actions taken immediately before, during, and after a hazard even to protect people and property

39
Q

Recovery

A

Actions taken after a hazard to restore critical systems and return to a community to pre-disaster conditions

40
Q

Mitigation

A

Actions taken before or after a hazard event to reduce impact on people and property

41
Q

Pre-Event Mitigation

A 
- Land-use planning
• Insurance
• Evacuation
• Personal preparedness
• Artificial control of natural processes
• Building codes (pre)
42
Q

Post-Event Mitigation

A
  • Homeless shelters
  • Emergency food, water and medical services
  • Search and rescue efforts
  • Firefighting
  • Clean-up
  • Building codes (post)
43
Q

Prediction

A

A statement of probability that a precise event based on scientific observation

44
Q

Forecasting

A

Identifying the conditions by which a particular event may occur

45
Q

Warning

A

A statement of high probability that a hazardous event will occur

GEOG 235 (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions