SectionA:Challenge of natural hazards Flashcards
1
Q
global atmospheric circulation
A
an aeroplane travels at an altitude of around 10km above the ground surface. Below this the vast majority of the atmospheres mass is below you. The atmosphere- the air above our heads- is a highly complex
2
Q
How to remember conditions in high pressure
A
Happy- settled weather
3
Q
High pressure
A
Cool air descends, reduces cloud formation, light wind and settled weather
Air moves clockwise
4
Q
How to remember low pressure weather conditions
A
Lashing down
5
Q
Low pressure
A
Hot air rises, evaporation and condensation to form clouds, rains
Air moves anti-clockwise
Unsettled weather-rain
6
Q
Polar cell occurs between…
A
60 and 90 degrees
7
Q
What happens to the trade winds at areas of high pressure
A
Move away
8
Q
A ferrel cell occurs between…
A
30 and 60
9
Q
A Hadley cell occurs between…
A
0 and 30 are
10
Q
What do trade winds do at areas of low pressure
A
Move towards
11
Q
Three names for tropical storms
A
Cyclones, typhoons, hurricanes
12
Q
What countries would be affected by a cyclone
A
India, Madagascar, Australia
13
Q
What countries would be affected by a typhoon
A
Japan, south-east Asia, Philippines
14
Q
What countries would be affected by hurricanes
A
Caribbean, USA
15
Q
Where do hurricanes get their energy from
A
Warm seas
16
Q
Temperature of the ocean for hurricanes to form
A
27+
17
Q
What degrees north of the equator do hurricanes form
A
8 and 20
18
Q
What ocean do hurricanes form in
A
Centre of the Atlantic
19
Q
What oceans do typhoons occur in
A
West of the Pacific
20
Q
What oceans are cyclones formed in
A
South west Pacific and Indian
21
Q
What happens in the eye of a hurricane
A
A small area where cooler air sings towards the ground and warms up, no clouds here and conditions are calm
22
Q
Eye wall conditions
A
Tall bank of clouds where there are strong winds, heavy rain, thunder and lightening
23
Q
How do hurricanes form
A
Strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the sea
Air condenses and releases heat which powers the storm and draws up more air from the ocean
The storm develops an eye where air descends rapidly
The evaporated air cools as it rises and condensed to for cumulonimbus clouds
Several small thunderstorms join together, when the winds reach 75mph the storm becomes a tropical storm
As the storm is carried across the ocean by prevailing winds it continues to gather strength. On reaching land the storms energy supply is cut off
24
Q
What speed to the winds have to reach to become a tropical storm
A
75 mph
25
When was hurricane Katrina
August 2005
26
About the hurricane
```
Category 5
175 mph wind speed
400 miles wide
SE of Louisiana
Formed in Atlantic
```
27
3 primary and secondary effects
P: 30 oil platforms destroyed-S: millions of oil leaked due to spills
P:water and gas pipes snapped-S:80% of the city flooded, stayed for weeks
P: over 1800 deaths
S:100,000 left without power
28
Immediate responses
People tried to swim to safety
300,000 couldnt/ wouldn’t leave
Super dôme accommodated 20,000
29
Long term responses
Levees were replaced/ strengthened
| Buildings repaired
30
Monitoring and predicting tropical storms
Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs and predict when the hurricane will occur
31
Advantages and disadvantages of monitoring and prediction tropical storms
```
A- warning to evacuate
A- technology is more accurate
A- death decrease
D- not always accurate
D- people may not leave
D- future track is uncertain
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32
Protection
Designing buildings that will withstand a hurricane
33
Protection advantages and disadvantages for tropical storms
```
A- reduce flood effects
A- people feel safer
A- reduce deaths
D- expensive
D- people may have to travel far
D- buildings may not accommodate enough people
```
34
Example of monitoring and predicting tropical storms
Hurricane watch
| Hurricane warning
35
Example of protection hurricanes
Reinforce windows, doors and roofs
Storm drains to prevent floods
Houses built on stilts
36
Planning tropical storms
Identifying and avoiding places most at risk
37
Planning advantages and disadvantages tropical storm
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A- people know how to respond
A- deaths decreased
A- own responsibility
D- people may not leave
D- storm path may change
D- messengers may be too late
```
38
Example of planning tropical storm
Bangladesh have early warning systems by educating locals on storms
Cyclones tracked and warnings issued by radio and social media
People in rural areas can be reached by bike- may be too late
39
Weather
Weather is the atmospheric conditions over a short period of time
Eg today it is cold
40
Climate
The average weather conditions over a long period of time 30-50 years
Eg the arctic has a cold climate
41
Why does extreme weather occur in the UK
Attic winds- heavy snow, bitter cold
America’s winds- storms being heavy rain and strong winds from remains of hurricanes
Mediterranean- hot and sunny, heatwaves and droughts
Russia- severe winter weather comes from the east
42
Examples of weather hazards
Thunderstorm
Strong winds
Drought
Prolonged rainfall
43
Thunderstorm cause
Hurricane remains from Caribbean
44
Drought cause
Period of high temperatures and little/ no rainfall
45
Heavy snow
Freezing temperature lead to snow and ice covers, lower visibility makes roads dangerous
46
Prolonged rainfall
Rainfall over a long period of time can lead to river flood this is common when snow melts
47
Weather hazard case study
Somerset 2014 floods
48
Where is Somerset
South east of the uk
49
Causes of Somerset
350mm of rain fell in January and February, 100 Mm above average
High tides, storm surges prevented water from rivers reaching the sea
Rivers hadn’t been dredged in 20 years
50
Primary and secondary effects of Somerset
600 homes flooded-> residents lived in temporary homes for several months
Local roads cut off-> people couldn’t get to work or school
S: damage estimated £10 million
51
Immediate responses of Somerset
Block doors with sandbags
Evacuate
Locals used boats to get to school
52
Long term response of Somerset
Dredging
53
How to describe the trend of an average temperature graph
General trend
| Manipulate data
54
What could more energy in the atmosphere lead to
More intense storms
| Atmospheric circulation affected so floods could be brought to dry regions and heatwaves to cool areas
55
Glacial period
When ice sheets have covered extensive parts of the earth
56
Interglacial
Warmer period such as the current era where not as much ice covers the earth
57
Three physical causes of climate change
Orbital changes, solar activity, volcanic activity
58
Orbital changes
Axial tilt- earth spins on it’s axis causing night and day. The angle can change between 21.5 and 24.5
Precession- natural wobble can take 26,000 years
Eccenticity cycle- as the earth orbits the sun can change from circular to elliptical
59
Solar activity
Sunspot is a dark patch on the surface of the sun
When at maximum more heat given off
When at minimum less heat given off
Can change from min to max in 11 years
60
Volcanic activity
Violent éruptions blast huge quantities of ash and gas into the atmosphere
Volcanic ash can block the sun which reduces the earths temperatures
61
Human causes of climate change
Increase in
CO2
Methane
Nitrous oxide
62
CO2
Deforestation
Burning fossil fuels
Car exhausts
63
Methane
Rice farming
Livestock
Decaying organic matter
64
Nitrous oxide
Sewage treatment
Car exhausts
Power stations producing electricity
65
Climate change evidence birds
Bird migration is changing
| 65 species of birds are nesting on average 9 days earlier in the mid 1990s than in 1970s
66
Climate change evidence glaciers
Glaciers are shrinking and retreating
| Estimated some will completely disappear by 2035
67
Climate change evidence sea level
Global sea level has risen 15 cm in the last 100 years. This is because
When temperatures rise and fresh water melts more water flows to the seas from glaciers
When ocean water warm it expands in volume- thermal expansion
68
What is mitigation
Reducing the severity and seriousness of climate change
69
Mitigation strategies
Alternative energy sources, planting trees, international agreements
70
Alternative energy sources facts
Hydroelectric/ nuclear/ solar
Reduce CO2 émissions
UK aim- 15% of energy from renewable sources by 2020
71
What is a carbon sink
Natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere
72
Planting trees facts
Trees act as carbon sinks removing CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis. Trees also release moisture into the atmosphere
73
International agreement facts
2005- Kyoto protocol. 170 countries agreed to reduce emission by 5.3%
2015- Paris agreement. 195 countries keep global temp increase below 2 degrees
74
Adaptation
Make changes to prepare for the effects
75
Types of adaptation
Managing water supply, reducing risk from sea level rise
76
Managing water supply facts
Planting shade trees to protect seedlings from the sun
Drought resistant crops eg maize
Educating farmers
77
Reducing risk from sea level rise facts
Relocating populations
| Sea wall construction
78
Why do sea levels need to be managed
As by 2100 sea levels are expected to rise by a further 26-82 cm
79
Monitoring tectonics
Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs
80
Volcano monitoring
Remote sensing- satellites detect heat and changes to shape
Seismicity- records earthquakes
Gas- instruments detect changes in gas
VERDICT: many ways, successful
81
Earthquakes monitoring
Generally occur without wanting
Minor tremors prior, slight changes in water pressure
VERDICT: havent discovered ways to monitor earthquakes yet
82
Prediction tectonics
Using historical evidence to make predictions
83
Prediction volcano
Historical evidence
Monitoring to detect changes
Verdict: used with monitoring, without monitoring prediction would be so hard
84
Earthquakes prediction
Lack of warning signs
Historical records at plate margins identify places at greater risks
Verdict: impossible to predict, hard to evacuate
85
Protection tectonics
Designing buildings that will withstand tectonics
86
Volcano protection
Earth embankment to form a barrier
Explosives divert lava away from properties
Verdict: only works with thin runny lava
87
Earthquakes protection
Construct buildings and bridges to resist ground shaking
Reinforced with steel to reduce movement
Verdict: earthquakes don’t kill, buildings do
88
Planning tectonics
Identifying and avoiding places most at risk
89
Planning volcanoes
Hazard maps designed for areas most affected
Certain areas can avoid being built on
Verdict: nobody in affected area isn’t a hazard but people then can’t benefit from the volcano
90
Earthquake planning
Maps produced, high value land can be protected
| Verdict: earthquake can occur at different locations so hard to plan
91
Natural hazard
A natural event that has an impact on people and human activities
92
Atmospheric hazards
Cyclone, forest fire, lightening, thunderstorm, hurricane, hailstone, drought, tornado
93
Geological hazard
Volcanic eruption, landslide, avalanche, tsunami, earthquake
94
Flooding hazard
Flood
95
Types of natural hazard
Atmospheric, geological, flooding
96
Hazard risk
Likelihood of being affected by a natural event or
97
What factors can affect risk
Urbanisation, poverty, climate change, farming
98
Urbanisation risk
Growth of towns and cities
Increase hazards as more people would be affected. 50% of worlds population lives in cities, buildings close together, can cause domino effect
99
Poverty risk
Extremely poor
- May force people to live in areas of high risk, houses less stable and collapse easier. People get trapped, not enough healthcare so people die
100
Climate change risk
Change in the worlds weather pattern
| - when the weather is warmer the atmosphere has more energy so there are more extreme storms
101
Farming risk
When a river floods it deposits silt and makes land fertile meaning crops grow better however there is a risk of flooding if you live there
102
Human developments that would increase risk of people being affected by natural hazards
Urbanisation, poverty, farming
103
Environmental developments that would increase risk of people being affected by natural hazards
Climate change, farming
104
Earthquake
Sudden and short period of intense ground shaking the
105
How to describe the distribution of earthquakes
Clustered/ linear/ scattered
| Then compass points
106
What is distribution
The way something is spread over an area
107
Segments of the earths crust
Tectonic plates
108
How many km thick is continental crust
25-90
109
Type of rock is continental crust made from
Granite
110
How many km thick is oceanic
6
111
Type of rock is oceanic made from
Basalt
112
What moves the plates
Convection currents in the mantle in
113
Three directions the plates move
Apart, towards, slide past
114
What features can occur due to the movement of plates
Mountain ranges
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Island
115
Hawaii is an example of what
A hotspot
116
How far have the plates moved apart since 1492
25 m
117
Characteristics of oceanic
Denser
Thinner
Renewed and destroyed
118
Characteristics of continental
Older
Thicker
Less dense
119
What are convection currents
Created by heat from the core
| Hot magma rises then cools and sinks and drags the plates- separating them
120
Type of crust destructive
Oceanic and continental
121
Type of crust constructive
Oceanic and oceanic
122
Direction of movement constructive
Apart
123
Structure created constructive
Shield volcanoes
124
Example constructive
North America and Eurasian
125
Types of plate boundaries
Constructive, destructive, conservative
126
Movement destructive
Together
127
Features created destructive
Earthquakes composite volcanoes mountains tsunamis
128
Example destructive
Nazca and South American
129
Key word destructive
Subduction zone/ subducted
130
Conservative crust
Any
131
Conservative direction
Sliding past
132
Features conservative
Earthquakes
133
Example conservative
Pacific and North American
134
HIC earthquake study
Chile
135
When did chile occur
2010
136
Duration chile
3 mins
137
Plate boundary chile
Destructive
138
4 primary effects chile
500 deaths
56 hospitals collapsed
220,000 homes destroyed
Cost US $30 billion
139
Three secondary effects
No healthcare
Lost power water and communication
Homelessness
140
Immediate responses
Power and water restored to 90% in 10 days
| Temporary repairs made to highways within 24 hours
141
Long term responses
A month after the government launched a housing reconstruction to help house holds affected
President will take 4 years to recover damage
142
What caused the chile earthquake
Nazca subducted under SA plate
143
Environmental effects of chile
Pollution
Habitats
Floods
144
Social effects of chile
```
Education
Housing
Transport
Health
Clean water
Sanitation
```
145
Economic effects chile
Employment
Taxes
Income
Business/industry
146
Nepal Richter scale
7.8
147
Nepal date
2015
148
Duration chile
50 seconds
149
Plate boundary Nepal
Destructive
150
Nepal plate boundary
Indo Australian and Eurasian
151
Primary effects Nepal
Over 9000 killed
50% shops destroyed
Cost $5 billion
152
Secondary effects Nepal
Avalanches killed 19
1.4 million needed food, water and shelter
Landslide blocked Gandaki river
153
Immediate response nepal
Helicopters rescued many people from avalanches
Half a million tents needed to provide shelter
Search and rescue quickly arrived from UK India and China
154
Long term responses Nepal
Repairs to Mount Everest 4 months later
| International conference held to discuss reconstruction and seek support from other countries
155
Economic factors affecting risk
People living in poverty have other things to worry about
Housing is cheaper in some of these areas
Tectonic features can attract tourists which would be a good source of income for people living in poverty
156
Social factors affecting risks
People living in poverty have other things to worry about
Some people may not be aware of the risks of living close to a plate margin
Better building design can withstand earthquakes so people feel less at risk
Earthquake and volcanic eruptions do not happen very often they aren’t seen as a great threat in people lives
157
Environmental factors living with the risk
volcanoes bring benefits such as fertile souls rocks for building and hot water
Fault line associated with earthquakes can allow water supplies to reach the surface
Plate margins are often in favourable areas for settlements such as coastal areas
