Paper 1 Case Studies Flashcards
(48 cards)
What is a case study for tectonic hazards?
E-16 volcano eruption
What is the background of the E-16 case study?
location: iceland
date: began March 20, 2010
Type of volcano: composite volcano
tectonic position: north American and Eurasian plates diverging
What are some of the causes of E-16?
tectonic activity
Magma was basaltic with relatively low viscosity allowing for explosive eruptions
What were the main hazards of the E-16 eruption?
eruption was explosive, producing large ash clouds, lava flows and volcanic gases.
ash cloud reached heights of up to 9km into the atmosphere and spread across large parts of Europe.
the eruption resulted in significant flooding due to the melting of ice beneath the glacier.
What were the impacts of E-16?
air quality decreasing due to ash cloud
eruption caused extensive ice melt (glaciers 200m thick melted)
many local residents were forced to evacuate
iceland’s tourism sector saw temporary disruption
air travel disruption due to ash cloud, affected 95,000 flights and costing aviation industry $ 2 billion
20 farms were destroyed and many crops
What were the responses to the E-16 eruption?
evacuation
government worked to mitigate effects of flooding and ash fall
air transport had to be stopped, affecting global supply chain
infrastructure repair
increased awareness of future eruptions
What are the 2 case studies of meteorological hazards?
Storm Desmond
Big Dry
What is the background for storm Desmond?
location: UK
Date: December 4-6. 2015
Type of storm: Extratropical cyclone
Key features: heavy rainfall, strong winds and flooding
What are the causes for Storm Desmond?
low pressure system brought in by the jet stream. influenced by warm, moist air mass from the Atlantic Ocean. Storm was particularly powerful due to the air pressure difference between the low pressure system and surrounding high pressure areas
What are some of the impacts of storm desmond?
Heavy rainfall (341mm of rainfall in some parts)
Flooding, rivers overwhelmed with rainwater
Soil erosion
Evacuations (around 5,000 people were evacuated)
Disruption to daily life
injuries and fatalities
Cost of damages around £500 million
what were some of the responses to storm desmond?
criticism by public of government’s flood response
rescue operations
emergency aid
flood warnings
What were some long-term responses to storm desmond?
rebuilding and repairing
flood defences
funding for flood recovery
community support
flood risk assessments
planning for the future
What is the background for the Big Dry?
severe drought affecting south-eastern and southern Australia from 1997-2009 due to very strong El Nino
What were the main causes of the Big Dry?
intense el nino
climate change
water mismanagement
What were some of the impacts of the Big Dry?
Water shortages leading to restrictions and rationing
Agricultural industry took a hit due to not many crops surviving and loss of livestock as well
decline in wildlife populations
bushfires
rural communities faced sever economic stress rates of suicide among farmers increased
water management policies
What were some responses to the Big Dry?
financial aid
drought relief programmes to assist farmers
water conservation and management
sustainable agriculture
Adaptation to climate change
what is a river case study?
River Tees
What is the background of the river tees?
location: northeast England
Length: approx. 137 km
Source: Pennine hills, Cumbria
Mouth: flows into the North Sea near Teesmouth, passing through Middlesbrough
What are the features of the upper course of the River Tees?
steep gradients, forming v-shaped valleys
Tees Head, High Force Waterfall, Low force waterfall
What are the features of the middle course of the River Tees?
as the river moves eastward, it passes through softer rock and become less steep.
River forms meanders
What are the features of the lower course of the River Tees?
the river approaches the North sea where it is influenced by tides, leading to formation of estuaries
Tees estuary near Middlesbrough supports biodiversity
Middlesbrough and the Teesport are major urban settlements in this region
What are some landforms and features in the river Tees?
waterfalls in the upper course (high force, low force)
meanders and ox-bow lakes in the middle course
floodplains and levees in the lower course
estuary at the mouth
Why is the River Tees important for industry?
there are major urban areas such as Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington on it
Tees has historically been important for trading, business and industrial activities
What is some river management for the River Tees?
dams and reservoirs in the upper course
flood defences such as levees, flood barriers and embankments
River Channelization
Flood warning systems
