Week 1 - Lecture 1 - Case and Course Introduction

Question 1

Earthquake

Answer 1

Describes both sudden slip on a fault, and the resulting ground shaking and radiated seismic energy caused by the slip, or by volcanic or magmatic activity, or other sudden stress changes in the earth

Question 2

Tectonic plates theory

Answer 2

The Earth’s outermost layer is fragmented into about 15 major slabs called tectonic plates. These slabs form the lithosphere (between the crust and the mantle). Tectonic plates move very slowly relative to each other (few centimeters per year) but this still causes a huge amount of deformation at the plate boundaries

Question 3

P-waves

Answer 3

Travel along the direction of propagation as a series of compressions and rarefactions. Speed: 5 km/s to 8 km/s

Question 4

S-waves

Answer 4

Travel orthogonally (at right angles) to both the direction of propagation and the Earth’s surface. S-waves are more destructive because buildings are more easily damaged from horizontal motion than from vertical motion.

Question 5

Love waves

Answer 5

Travel orthogonally with the direction of propagation but parallel with the surface of the Earth

Question 6

Rayleight waves

Answer 6

Propagate near the Earth’s surface as ripples and cause a rotation

Question 7

Types of plate boundaries

Answer 7

• Divergent
• Convergent
• Transform

Question 8

Moment magnitude (MW) scale

Answer 8

Moment is a physical quantity proportional to the slip on the fault multiplied by the area of the fault surface that slips. It is related to the total energy released in the moment, which can be estimated from seismograms. The moment is then converted into a number similar to other earthquake magnitudes by a standard formula; the result is called the moment magnitude

Moment = rigidity (μ) x fault displacement x area of fault surface

Question 9

Return period (recurrence interval or repeat interval)

Answer 9

A statistical measurement typically based on historical data over an extended period of time or an average time or an estimated average time between events to occur

A longer return period (e.g. 100 years) suggests a lower probability that an extreme hazard will occur in any single year

Question 10

Disaster

Answer 10

A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts

Question 11

Tsunami

Answer 11

A series of travelling waves of extremely long length and period caused by the vertical displacement of ocean water

Question 12

Tsunami height

Answer 12

The crest height of the wave over the normal sea level measured at a given point

Question 13

Tsunami run-up height

Answer 13

The tsunami’s vertical height above sea level at its furthest point inland

Question 14

Natech disaster

Answer 14

Natural hazard triggering a technological disaster

Question 15

Cascading disaster

Answer 15

Extreme events in which cascading effects increase in progression over time and generate unexpected secondary events of strong impact

Question 16

Black tsunami

Answer 16

Contains a lot of mud, sand and pollutants (e.g., lead and mercury) which is dangerous to the health of those who swallow it when they struggle to escape the waves

Question 17

Elite panic

Answer 17

Politicians and bureaucrats fear what would happen should they provide accurate and up-to-date information to the residents

Question 18

The Fukushima effect

Answer 18

The Fukushima disaster has re-energized the safety controversies that emerged after the Chernobyl disaster

Question 19

Nuclear Renaissance

Answer 19

With climate change and geopolitical tensions highlighting the importance of energy security, affordability and decarbonisation, this once-controversial form of energy is finding new acceptance in many countries

Question 20

Nuclear safety

Answer 20

The achievement of proper operating conditions, prevention of accidents or mitigation of accident consequences, resulting in protection of workers, the public and the environment from undue radiation hazards

Question 21

Nuclear security

Answer 21

The prevention and detection of and response to, theft, sabotage, unauthorised access, illegal transfer or other malicious acts involving nuclear materials, other radioactive substances or their associated facilities

Question 22

Spent fuel management

Answer 22

Refers to the safe treatment, storage and disposal of liquid, solid, and gas discharge from nuclear industry operations with the goal of protecting people and the environment

Question 23

Meltdown

Answer 23

An accident in a nuclear reactor in which the fuel overheats and melts the reactor core or shielding

Question 24

Venting

Answer 24

The process of releasing hot air from the containment vessel itself into the atmosphere in order to lower the reactor pressure and temperature