tectonic hazards Flashcards
(153 cards)
what is a hazard
potential threat to human life and property
what are the two types of hazards
geophysical, hydrometerological
what are geophysical hazards
occur near plate boundaries, different speeds and directions, cause collisions, earthquakes and volcanic activity
what is intraplate earthquakes
earthquakes that occur near the middle of plate boundaries due to pre existing weaknesses which reactviate causing seismic waves or if solid crust weakens over time and cracks under pressure
what are volcanic hotspots
example, ring of fire, hawaii
occur near centre of plates, localised area of lithosphere, unusually high temp, due to hot molten magma from the core-plumes, magma rises as plumes
what is a volcano
openings in the earths surface which lave ash and gas erupts
what is an earthquake
sudden movements near the surface along a fault, pre existing weaknesses in crust
what are the processes of the plate tectonic theory
mantle convection, slab pull, subduction and seafloor spreading
what are the primary and secondary hazards of earthquakes
lava flows, pyroclastic flows, tephra, gas eruptions, lahars, jokulhlaup
lava flows
primary-move slowly, destroy everything in path, very hot, take years to cool, kilauea, hawaii
pyroclastic flows
primary-dense hot rock, lava, gas, ash, move to surface quickly, more dangerous, 700c, 100kmph, mount sinaburg, indonesia
tephra
primary, volcanic rock and ash blast into air large pieces fall near volcano, disruptive, slippery, heavy, calbuco, chile
gas eruptions
primary, dissolved gas, has water vapour, co2 and so2, lake nyos, cameroon
lahars
secondary, masses of rock and water vary in size and speed, quickly melts snow and ice, mount pinatubu, philippines
jokulhlaup
secondary, heat melts snow and ice, heavy and sudden floods, suddenly release water, rock gravel and ice
southern iceland
volcanic primary and secondary hazards
ground shaking, crustal fracturing, liquefaction, landslides
earths structure
crust and upper mantle-lithosphere, mantle-asthenosphere, outer core and inner core
plate tectonic theories
mantle convection, slab pull, subuction, seafloor spreading
what is mantle convection
heat from radioactive elements heats mantle, magma rises creates convection currents, magma currents move into circles in asthenosphere, causes plates to move
slab pull
newly formed oceanic crust at mid ridges becomes thinner and denser as it cools, sinks into mantle and pulled further down
subduction
as two oceanic crusts on contin. move towards each other one slides under the other into mantle and melts into subduction zone
seafloor spreading
mid ocean ridge and underwater mountains/deep ocean trenches formed by magma is forced up and hardens to form new oceanic crust, pushes tectonic plates apart
palaeomagnetism
study of past changes in earths magnetic field which is determined by rocks sediment or archaeological record, 1940-seafloor spreading, 400,000 years magnetic field changes direction so poles swap, causes plates to move
what is a rift valley
plate is stretched, leads to earthquakes