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Hazardous Environments Flashcards

Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tropical Cyclones (60 cards)

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1
Q

what is a natural hazard

A

a naturally occurring event that causes harm/damage to property and people

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2
Q

categories of hazards with examples

A

atmospheric: tropical storms
tectonic: volcano eruptions, earthquakes

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3
Q

how do tropical storms form

A

form over the seas/oceans 8-20 degrees of the equator with 26+ degree water
constant evapouration from the sea: rising & condensing & cooling into thunderclouds
buoyant unstable air rising continuously: adding to the thunderclouds
trade winds converge
rising air leaves vacuum of low pressure at ocean’s surface- drawing in even more warm air
storm moves by coriolis effect

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4
Q

coriolis effect

A

the rotation of the earth

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5
Q

wind sheer

A

changing direction and speed of the wind

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6
Q

storm surge

A

the change in sea level that is caused by a storm (leads to extensive flooding)

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7
Q

case study for tropical cyclones

A

CYCLONE NARGIS
primary
75% buildings collapse, flooded rice fields, many orphaned children, floodwaters penetrating 40-50km inland, livestock, farms, fisheries destroyed, 2.5mil people injured, 4163 temples destroyed.

secondary
$10bil worth of damage, loss of jobs and income, 2008/09 rice harvest ruined, spread of disease: cholera, dysentery, malaria, lack of food for survivors.

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8
Q

responses to cyclone nargis

A

junta (myanmar military) refused help
more people died than necessary due to lack of aid and care afterwards

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9
Q

causes of earthquake

A

movement of tectonic plates

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10
Q

conservative margins

A

friction as they move past each other or side by side at different speeds causes them to slip and release tension. this is how earthquakes are formed

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11
Q

collision margins

A

equally dense continental plates collide and the friction between the plates causes the crust to fold upwards and form fold mountains. the two plates collide without one subducting under the other

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12
Q

prediction of earthquakes

A

radon gas sensor
strain gauge
levelling
laser reflectors
seismometer
satellite surveillance

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13
Q

radon gas sensor

A

earth releases more radon gas from gaps in the earth’s crust in the build up to an earthquake

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14
Q

strain gauge

A

measures stretch and compression of the earth’s crust deep in the magma

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15
Q

satellite surveillance

A

surveys plate movement for small changes in the ground

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16
Q

levelling

A

surveys movement across a faultline

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17
Q

laser reflectors

A

laser beams across a faultline to detect movement

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18
Q

seismometer

A

detects shock waves from a quake to locate the epicentre

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19
Q

epicentre

A

where the earthquake meets the ground

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20
Q

focus

A

where the earthquake originates

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21
Q

deeper focus

A

the earthquake is less damaging as the quake has lost energy as it moves through the earth

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22
Q

faultline

A

long crack in the surface of the earth

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23
Q

protection and management of earthquakes

A

rolling weights on roofs
identification numbers on buildings
buildings made with latticework steel foundations - built into the bedrock
reinforced lift shafts with tension cables
rubber shock absorbers between the foundations and the buildings
automatic shutters - protect glass, windows, doors

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24
Q

measures of earthquakes

A

Richter scale
Mercalli scale
Moment Magnitude scale (MMS)

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25
Richter scale
measures the magnitude of the earthquake
26
Mercalli scale
measures observable earthquake damage (1-12)
27
Moment Magnitude scale
measures the magnitude and force of an earthquake (0-5)
28
measures of tropical cyclones
Safir-Simpson scale
29
Safir-Simpson scale
measures tropical cyclones from 1-5 5: most damaging, 157+ mph winds, catastrophic damage 1: least damaging, 74-95 mph winds, very dangerous winds will produce some damage
30
Case Studies for earthquakes
Kobe, Japan (HIC) Ghorka region, Nepal (LIC)
31
Kobe, Japan
**Primary the earthquake** secondary fire caused by ruptured gas pipes. - broken water pipes meant fire could not be put out destroyed the mainly wooden old town of Kobe - hypothermia.
32
liquefaction
water-saturated sediments temporarily loses its strength and acts like a fluid.
33
primary impacts of Kobe earthquake
over 100,000 buildings destroyed rail links, expressway, docks all severely damaged water in short supply due to broken water pipes people burning alive in subsequent fire
34
secondary impacts of Kobe earthquake
around 6500 deaths £200 bil in reparations no access for emergency services liquefaction
35
Ghorka Region, Nepal
One main earthquake and two large aftershocks
36
aftershocks
smaller earthquakes that focus around the fault following a large earthquake
37
primary impacts of Ghorka Region earthquakes
damage to power and infrastructure landslides lost access to household energy historic sites destroyed 500 houses destroyed destruction of airports - large cargo planes unable to land
38
secondary impacts of Ghorka Region earthquakes
over 8500 deaths and 17,000 major injuries displacement of 3 million people
39
Management of Ghorka Region earthquakes
Much global voluntary aid - LDC (least developed country) help from British Red Cross, World Health Organisation, UK Government and, many NGO's
40
short term responses to Ghorka earthquakes
WHO shifted emergency response Life-saving essensial care given by international agencies 90% Nepalise Army mobilised worst hit areas 100 search and rescue responders NGO's cleared rubble, issued 'shelter kits' and temporary housing, 'winterisation kits'
41
long term responses to Ghorka earthquake
UK government- £73 million for humanitarian aid Asian development bank- $200 million for rehabilitation and reparations NGO's- rebuilding safer earthquake proof homes Community led approach- locals and international volunteers address issues and solutions
42
advantages of living in hazard prone areas
tourism cost of living possibly cheaper their home fertile soil (volcanoes)
43
destructive plate margins
denser oceanic plate subducts under less dense continental plate they are called this because some on the earths crust is being destroyed in the mantle- causes volcanoes
44
constructive plate margin
two oceanic plates move away from each other creating a gap in the earth's crust. magma from the mantle rises up to form new land when it reaches the water and cools and solidifies. When the magma rises it 'constructs' new land. forms volcanoes
45
causes of volcanoes
constructive plate margins destructive plate margins
46
how do plates move
* plates are sections of the earth's crust * which 'float' on the mantle * the mantle is made of semi-molten magma * which move by convection currents * this means that the plates are not static but mobile
47
shield volcano
eyjafjallajokull, Iceland
48
composite volcano
Soufriere hills, Monserrat
49
primary impacts of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
* magma seen rising under ice cap * continuous lava fountains for three weeks
50
secondary impacts of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
* glacial outburst flood * destruction of roads and bridges *f armland covered in tonnes of debris * travel chaos impacts economy * ash clouds blasting up in the air for three years
51
management of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
* evacuations to safe zones * advanced warning systems- GPS monitoring to detect changes in advance * dredging channels and building leveés to allow larger capacity for flood water to drain away
52
prediction of volcanoes
*seismometers *GPS satellites *gas monitoring *measuring temperature *looking at past evidence/eruptions
53
GPS satellites
monitor changes in the landscape (volcano swelling)
54
gas monitoring
monitoring the release of sulphur dioxide
55
measuring temperature
volcanoes become hotter as the magma rises
56
looking at past data
scientists can identify patterns
57
pyroclastic flow
eruptions of blasted away material (tephra) forms a cloud containing extremely hot (400 degree) gases. This moves very fast, around 100m/h, destroying everything in its path. Moves like a fluid
58
primary impacts of Souffriere hills eruption
*magmatic eruptions caused projectile volcanic bombs *buried houses and farmland *300m coral destroyed *farms and fields inside exclusion zone- livestock to be set free *1/3 monserrat's vegetation destroyed
59
Secondary impacts of Souffriere hills eruption
*main port and government had to be relocated- outside of the exclusion zone *ash mixed with rain water- fast moving mud flow.
60
management of Souffriere hills eruption
*new capital focusses on tourism *observatory set up to monitor the volcano *UK funding of £25 million per year (British Overseas Territory) *Strain gauge set up

Geography (2 decks)

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