FINAL STUDY CARDS
A 6.0 Richter magnitude earthquake would be expected to produce the most property damage in a __________ because of the lack of strict building codes and the far-reaching extent of the damage
intraplate zone
True or False: Dust storms are caused by natural conditions, which are not affected by human activity.
False
True or False: Hurricanes maintain roughly constant intensity as they move through the ocean until they reach land, when they gradually dissipate.
False
True or False: Monsoons only occur in India
False
True or False: The cost of evacuation is large- roughly 5 million per coastal mile evacuated, exclusive of any damages from the hurricane.
False
Why will an earthquake along the puente hills fault be the earthquake from hell for the Los Angeles basin?
It will most likely send a lot of energy up into the Los Angeles basin and shake it like a bowl full of jello
True or False: The decline in the number of hurricane-related deaths since the 1920's is due to the decreasing frequency of hurricanes.
False
What type of fault is the San Andreas fault?
Right lateral strike slip fault
Which type of waves are called "body waves" because they move through the interior of the Earth
S and P waves
You would be at most risk of an earthquake due to a divergent boundary in which metropolitan area of the United States?
Salt Lake City, Utah
Where is there extension and normal faulting currently occurring in the United States?
San Andreas Fault
between October and March, strong, warm _______ winds in Southern California drain southward from a high pressure area over Nevada and the Great Basin, heat up adiabatically as they descend toward the coast and decrease in humidity.
Santa Ana
The equilibrium of a slope is likely to be disturbed if the ___________
Slope angle steepens or the load is increased
What type of landslide was located at the main scarp of the Oso landslide in Washington?
Slump
True or False: A series of arson fires after Hurricane Katrina led authorities to suspect that people were setting fire to their flood - damaged homes in order to receive insurance benefits.
True
True or False: Hurricanes in the northern hemisphere both rotate and track in the same direction as the ocean currents.
True
True or False: Low pressure zones circulate counter clockwise in the northern hemisphere.
True
True or False: air in the eye of a hurricane is warmer that the surrounding air.
True
True or false: The US forest service was formed in response to a catastrophic wildfire in Idaho and Montana in 1910.
True
True or false: The biggest misconception about earthquakes in Southern CA is that the Big One has already occured
True
True or false: deliberate deforestation by fire has occurred in Indonesia, where forests are burned to clear space for growing palm oil and other crops.
True
The Coriolis effect arises because ________
air and water are not rigidly connected to the rotating surface of the Earth
If the recurrence interval for a stream flood has been established at 50 years and the stream flooded last year, what is the probability of the stream flooding this year again?
one in fifty
sinking air ___________.
condenses and heats up
Magma plumes know as hot spots _______
create volcanoes on both oceanic and continental plates
Three components of the fire triangle are fuel, heat and ______________
oxygen
What is the geological study of rocks around a previously active volcano known as?
paleovolcanology
Transform boundaries occur where _____
plates slide past each other and the plates are neither created or destroyed
Water pressure becomes and important factor in increasing landslide danger when _________
pore spaces are filled with water
A controlled fire set intentionally is called a(n)_____________
prescribed burn
Removal of vegetation from a slope increases landslide danger because vegetation ________
removes water from the soil
Which measure is NOT used to minimise erosion following a fire?
removing dead trees
South of Wrightwood in 1969 water from melting snow combined with rocky debris. Eventually the material became unstable to create ___________
debris flow
Which factor does not contribute to increased height of a storm surge?
deep water
Which is NOT a potentially harmful air pollutant created by wildfires?
dihydrogen oxide
A mass will slide if _______
driving force is greater than the resisting force
________ is a prolonged dry climate event that dramatically lowers the available water below normal levels.
drought
The head of the La Conchita landslide was a slump. What occurred at the toe?
earthflow
Most faults do not slide gradually. Instead they get stuck for a while and then they slip suddenly. While the fault is stuck or locked, the plates must bend which increases the stress on the fault. After the earthquake, the rocks have shifted across the fault and stress is relived. What is this theory called?
elastic rebound theory
Scientific forecasts of catastrophic earthquakes can
estimate the probability of the event happening somewhere in a large geographical area within a time frame of decades
True or False: once ground fuels are cleared, radiant heat from nearby burning trees is very likely to ignite a home
false
True or false: A fire progresses more quickly downslope that upslope
false
True or false: One of the best places to stand in an earthquake is in a doorway
false
True or false: earthquakes always occur at plate boundaries
false
True or false; Earthquakes always occur at plate boundaries
false
True or false; Efforts to control natural hazards are usually successful
false
True or false; Successful earthquake prediction involved the Loma Prieta quake of 1989
false
The angle of ___________ is the steepest angle at which a slope will remain stable
repose
Unreinforced masonry buildings must be _____
retrofitted to be earthquake resistant or a sign must be placed in an area where occupants are made aware of the hazards. it will only need to be retrofitted when sold to a new owner.
In the northern hemisphere, due to the Coriolis Effect, winds converging on a low and diverging from a high will be deflected to the ____________.
right
Which is the most rapid type of landslide
rockfall
True or false; The concept of isostacy states that high-density rock will stand higher than low-density rock, which explains the formation of subduction zones
false
True or false; Transform boundaries are responsible for the formation of island chains such as the Hawaiian islands
false
True or false; a good earthquake predictor is weather
false
True or false; insurance covers all known types of natural hazards
false
True or false; older buildings are more likely to survive an earthquake because they have been through earthquakes in the past
false
Burning embers are also called ____________.
firebrands
Small earthquakes that precede a large earthquake are referred to as ______
foreshocks
Compared to other types of magma, basalt ________
has lower viscosity and lower silicate content
A natural process which threatens life and property is known as a natural _______
hazard
One future prospect for predicting hurricane behavior is to monitor thermal anomalies in the ocean with __________ sensors.
satelite
The alternating strips of magnetic field patters were used by Harry Hess to explain ______
sea floor spreading
Which type of damage does NOT typically accompany a hurricane's storm surge?
heavy sand is deposited on beaches, partly burying homes.
The most important factor for reducing the damage of natural hazards is changing _______
human behavior
Moisture that evaporates from the oceans returns after condensation, precipitation, and runoff in the ___________ cycle.
hydrologic
soils impervious to water are known as _____________ soils.
hydrophobic
Wildfires benefit forest in many ways. Which is NOT one of these?
improving landscape views for inhabitants
where does a tropical cyclone or hurricane get its energy
in the heat and moisture rising from a low-pressure cell of the tropical ocean
Currently US forest service policy is to :
set controlled fires intentially
What type of volcano is Moana Kea?
shield volcano
The equilibrium of a slope is likely to be disturbed if the _________
slope angle steepens or the load is increased
On what surface should zoning laws limit the construction of homes and buildings?
soft mud or fill
______ refers to the change in rock shape due to stress. Rocks either fold if they behave ductilly or fault if they behave brittely
strain
Thin films of water on sand grains _______
increase cohesion and increase resisting forces
The compressional stress, reverse faults and the largest earthquakes occur in _______
subduction zones
The cost of natural disasters averaged over the previous ten years has _________ due in part to _________
increased; population growth only
Hurricane strength in any given year appears to correlate quite well with Atlantic Ocean sea-surface _____________.
temperature
what is NOT a primary consideration in establishing fire risk for an area?
the amount of available firefighting resources
Which area of the US generally has the highest (worst) fire weather potential?
the desert southwest
Which factor does NOT contribute to the intensity of a wildfire?
the initial cause of the fire
Why do grass needles and shrubs burn easier and faster than trees
they have a large surface area compared to thier total mass
Which statement reflects the most significant reason people in the US decide to live in hazardous areas?
they have not experienced the effects of a natural hazard and therefore underestimate the risk
In developing countries, natural disasters are a greater risk for poor residents because________
they often live in hazardous areas due to economic factors
Assuming you were far enough away from the earthquake rupture along the fault, what could be done with a 30-60 second warning?
1. automatic alarms in schools and office buildings could warn people to take cover 2.fire fighters could move fire engines out of their garages to avoid being crushed 3. trains could glide to a stop 4. surgeons could stabilize surgery patients
What did the october 1st 1987 Whittier Narrows and the 1994 Northridge earthquakes bring to the attention of seismologists and policy makers?
1.energy released in blind thrust faults are very dangerous to Los Angeles and the surrounding suburbs 2. Many buildings around Los Angeles are made of unreinforced masonry which is a major safety hazard in the case of earthquakes 3. Los Angeles and surrounding suburban areas are woefully unprepared for a large earthquake
If we want to predict the next large earthquake on the San Andreas fault, we should look for foreshocks close to that fault. How close to the fault should we be looking?
10km
what distance of space cleared of any fuels around a house is recommended?
30m
What local conditions will raise the height of a storm surge at the beach?
A surge moving into a bay
What did the Alquist-Priolo Bill require?
All known active faults zones need to be mapped
The greatest cause of death due to snow avalanches is _______
Asphyxiation
A mountain stands above southeastern Lucerne Valley and separates the San Bernardino Mountains on the south from the Mojave Desert on the north. The summit is marble which overlies uncemented sandstone and weathered gneiss. Spread out on the alluvial apron beneath the mountains sits the remnants of an 18,000 year old landslide. What is the name of the landslide?
Blackhawk Landslide
Air masses and ocean currents develop circulation due to the Earth's rotation as a result of the _________ effect.
Coriolis
Hurricanes generally curve northward as they approach the southeastern coast of the United States because of the _________ effect.
Coriolis
Equatorial oceanic circulation normally moves from east to west but every few years the warm bulge of water in the Pacific Ocean drifts back to the east in pattern called ________
El Niño/La Niña southern oscillation
What is the epicenter? Focus?
Epicenter is located on the surface, above where the earthquake originated. Focus is where the place where the fault first slipped, located underground
The best known successful prediction of an earthquake was in _____
Haicheng, China 1976
The modified Mercalli Scale is a scale from ________
I to XII that rates the structural damage due to an earthquake
Hurricane Sandy in 2012 was called a superstorm because it combined with a _____________.
Nor'easter
Extratropical cyclones that strike the northeastern coast, especially New England and Nova Scotia, are known as ___________________.
Nor'easters
Where is there compression and reverse faulting in the United States?
Northridge blind-thrust fault
Which precaution is NOT suggested during evacuation due to a fire?
Open all interior doors in your house.
The distance to an earthquake is found by comparing the arrival time of ______ waves
P and S waves
What are the different earthquake waves? Which cause the greatest damage?
P waves arrive first, S waves arrive second and cause the most damage. P and S waves are body waves. After body waves arrive surface waves arrive.
In which order would you expect different types of earthquake waves to arrive at a site a distance away form the epicenter?
P waves then S waves then surface waves
You would be most at risk of an intraplate earthquake in which metropolitan area of the United States?
St. Louis, Missouri
_________ slopes form as fan-shaped (or cone shaped) piles of rock fragments against the base of a cliff.
Talus
What is happening in the East African Rift?
The African plate is slowly being pulled apart, creating large lakes and volcanoes in the space where it diverges
Lets say you sign up for a shake alert so that you get earthquake warnings. suddenly you feel a very large earthquake (M5). You take cover and get mad because your shake alert did not warn you! Why didn't you get a warning even though you are signed up and the system works well?
The earthquake rupture was too close to you so there was not enough time for the automated computer system to process the information to send out.
What are the three most deadly hazards in the United States?
Winter weather, flooding, heat and drought
Which material is considered safe material to build with in earthquake country?
Wood, steel, ductile concrete
A daylighted bed is ___________
a gently sloped internal surface (angled layers of rock) intersecting the lower slope
The Cascadia fault in the Pacific Northwest currently has ______
a high chance of a catastrophic earthquake with a high chance of Tsunamis
What is the average forward speed of a hurricane (how fast does it approach the coast)?
about 25km/hour (15.5 miles/hour)
where are the highest winds in a hurricane?
along the edge of the eye wall
What percentage of people who die in hurricanes drown because of river floods near the coast?
around 60%
A fire deliberately set close to an advancing fire to create a firebreak by using the updraft of the wildfire to draw the fire toward the main fore is called a(n) _____________________
back burn
Why were scallops added to the steel beams found in the visual arts building on the CSUSB campus?
because the welding of the beams was done in the field, the scallops are cute out to strengthen the structure
A __________ is a US snow storm with wind speeds above 56 km/h
blizzard
______ is/are not effective earthquake prediction
changes in tide heights
How can a homeowner create a defensible space in order to obtain fire insurance?
clear ground duff and brush and cut down trees on all sides of the house.
What is the important force that holds grains together through static attraction, surface tension, or chemical bonds?
cohesion
Low brush and branches are known as ________ fuels because they ignite first and then allow the fire to climb into higher treetops.
ladder
Coastal building standards for the National Flood Insurance Program require that all new construction be ____________ of mean high tide.
landward
Costal building standards for the National Flood Insurance Program require that all new construction be ___________ of mean high tide.
landward
Which of these coastal effects is NOT caused by heavy rain during a hurricane?
large storm surges
What condition does NOT contribute to more fire-prone forests?
larger trees
what pressure is associated with the surface of the earth at the equator
low pressure
Why are lower, smaller sand dunes less desirable than higher, larger sand dunes?
lower dunes promote more erosions because there is not as much dune sand to absorb wave energy
The ______ of an event is inversely proportional to the frequency of the event
magnitude
Public education plays an important role in reducing the effect of disasters by ________
making the public aware of dangers they may not understand fully
Yellowstone national park and the big island of Hawaii are both sitting atop a ______
mantle plume also known as magma plume or hot spot
Wegener hypothesized that continents were once together and then moved apart. Which line of evidence was NOT included in his proof?
matching magnetic anomalies from one side of the mid Atlantic ridge to the other
If an earthquake with left-lateral slip occurs on the Garlock fault, would that tend to make an earthquake on the part of the San Andreas fault that is just south of the Garlock fault more likely, less likely or would it have no effect?
more likely
Moderate events can become unexpectedly larger disasters if ____
more than one type of event occurs at the same time, amplifying the effect
Why do the Hawaiian islands experience earthquakes?
movement of magma displaces the crust
A _______ fault would be expected at a divergent boundary
normal
Very often when individuals or governments attempt to control dangers from natural events in one place, the effort _______
transfers the dangers to a different place
The San Andreas fault marks a ______
transform boundary
True or False: more frequent and larger wildfires emit greater amounts of carbon into the atmosphere
true
True or false: Firebrands typically fly about 1 km, but can travel up to 20-30km in extreme cases.
true
True or false: Lower category large-diameter, or slow moving hurricanes usually cause more extensive and prolonged flooding than higher category smaller diameter storms
true
True or false: The US forest service was formed in response to a catastrophic wildfire in Idaho and Montana in 1910
true
True or false: The court has not upheld a law requiring forced or "mandatory" evacuation of on'e residence due to safety concerns.
true
True or false: a divergent boundary is responsible for rift zones
true
True or false: high death tolls from earthquakes are likely in countries with poor quality construction practices or unsuitable buildings sites
true
True or false: land use planning and building codes are the best defense against deaths, injuries and damage from earthquakes
true
True or false: the EEW warning system is a warning system that is issued after the earthquake has started
true
True or false: the plates involved in plate tectonics are part of Earth's lithosphere
true
True or false: there are about 37,000 earthquakes every year in CA but most of them are under magnitude 4
true
True or false; Earthquakes diminish in intensity, but NOT magnitude, the further one is from the epicenter
true
True or false; Pahoehoe lava has a ropy, smooth, or billowy surface
true
True or false; The first earthquake waves received by a seismometer near the epicenter are P waves
true
True or false; changes in groundwater level are a good predictor of earthquakes
true
True or false; faults accommodate the motion of the tectonic plates
true
In California between 2001 and 2009, what was the largest cause of wildfires?
unsafe use of power equipment
A convective _____________ of heat draws in new air from all sides and fans flames.
updraft
The term _______ refers to how fluid magma is
viscosity
The polar ________ is a region of cold air permanently centered over the North and South poles.
vortex
Low pressure systems tend to form where________
warm air rises, cools and condenses
A hurricane ___________ indicates that a hurricane is expected in the area within 24 hours.
warning
The two most abundant gasses in magmas are ______
water vapor and carbon dioxide
Polar and subtropical jet streams meander from _______ across North America
west to east
climate change adaptation is __________
working to adjust to the unavoidable aspects of climate change that we are already experiencing and may experience in the future.
Climate change mitigation is _____________
working to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in an attempt to reduce the severity of future climate change.
