Geol 111 Final
When you watch the segment for 1979-2011, you'll see the CO2 levels fluctuate (most dramatically at monitoring stations in the northern mid and low latitudes - around the equator) during each year. Why is this?
seasonal changes in vegetation photosynthesis
The epicenter of the 2010 Haiti earthquake was located _____.
On the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault.
Using the accompanying diagram, which of the following is represented by Plate A? (Quiz 3, Q11)
Plate A is the Pacific Plate
The Midcontinent Rift which underlies part of Iowa is evidence of what past geologic event?
The Midcontinent Rift is evidence that the central part of the North American continent was once the site of a divergent boundary that failed.
Which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to Earth's mechanical layers?
The lithosphere contains the crust and the upper part of the plastic asthenosphere.
Select the 3 ENGINEERING flood-control methods
dams levees channelization
At convergent plate boundaries, the subducting oceanic pate grinds along the base of the overriding plate, generating large ______.
earthquakes
On average, more people die from which type of natural disaster than any other?
flash floods and flooding
Which of the following is the major driving force in all mass movements?
gravity
What is the primary cause of landslides
gravity exceeds strength of the slope
How do greenhouse gases warm Earth's atmosphere?
greenhouse gas particles absorb infrared radiation from the earth
Highly explosive magmas are controlled by which of the following?
high silica content and high water
What does the Mercalli Intensity Scale depend on?
how much damage the shaking caused
Most of Earth's active volcanoes are found _____.
in the Ring of Fire.
We can see the correlation between the start of industrialization (increasing manufacturing) and the increasing CO2 levels. What activity related to industrialization would add increasingly large amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere?
increasing use of fossil fuels
Sand boils and mud volcanoes form when _____.
intense shaking ejects overpressured mud and sand to the surface along narrow fractures.
Over the last 30 years, hurricanes have become more ______ due to _______.
intense, warmer ocean temperatures
How do impermeable surfaces (ie: concrete) from urbanization affect runoff and flooding?
it increases runoff and decreases the time between the precipitation event and the water reaching the stream.
All the engineering approaches below are put in place to prevent a river from flooding except...
jetties
A basalt magma typically erupts in what form?
lava flows
All the engineering structures below are used to alter or slow coastal wave erosion except...
levee
When pore spaces in sediment becomes saturated with water, the sediment loses strength and cohesion. This phenomenon is called __________.
liquifaction
The current flowing parallel to and just offshore of a beach is called
longshore current
Increase in temperature with same pressure, high water content, and decrease in pressure will cause a rock to _____.
melt
Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunami waves are different because they ?
move much faster
Earthquakes
occur on faults when rocks rupture, releasing stored up stress as energy
The residential construction that sustained the least amount of damage during the Haiti earthquake was _____.
one-story shanties made of mud and twig walls, sheet metal roofs, and earthen floors
An unstable marine sediment with a disorganized structure that can flow like water if disturbed is called _________.
quick clay
Other than limestone, what types of rocks are soluble in water and can form cavities that collapse?
salt and gypsum
Why are seacliffs so prone to erosion?
seacliffs are exposed to wave action, and they are also steep slopes, which can make them susceptible to landslides
Marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their _______________.
shells
The Great Tohoku earthquake occurred as a result of ______.
subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate.
oceanic lithosphere returns to the mantle at the _____ ______
subduction zone
What are two main causes of tsunami?
subduction-zone earthquakes and landslide into the ocean
Using LIDAR mapping and carbon dating, geologists found evidence that _______.
the area around Oso had a history of landslides
The recurrence interval for a flood of a given magnitude is defined as...
the average number of years between occurrences of a flood of that magnitude or greater.
What is the principal difference between the inner core and outer core?
the inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid
What does the Richter Magnitude Scale depend on?
the maximum amplitude of earthquake waves on a seismograph
Why does the damming of rivers sometime contribute to coastal erosion?
the supply of new sand to replenish beaches is cut off
Which of the following would be a modern analogy to the Reelfoot Rift when it was active?
the triple junction centered around the Afar Triangle in northeast Africa.
What effect do groins, breakwaters, and jetties have on coastal erosion?
they interrupt the transport of sand down the beach front
Which of the following is NOT a common reason cited for building large dams on rivers?
to raise groundwater levels
Plate boundary where the edges of the plates slide past each other
transform
Approximately 40,000 people died as a result of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau. What were the two volcanic hazards responsible for these deaths?
tsunamis and pyroclastic flows
A transform plate boundary involves
two plates sliding laterally past each other.
The sun's peak radiation is in the _______ part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
visible light
As a result of mass movements on the slope above the Vajont Dam, _______.
water levels in the reservoir were raised and lowered several times in an attempt to reach hydraulic equilibrium between the water level in the reservoir and the nearby rocks.
Liquefaction occurs when _____.
when saturated soil and other unconsolidated Earth materials lose their strength during an earthquake and behave like a liquid.
Yellowstone's most recent eruption was _______. There is evidence that Yellowstone has errupted _____ in the last 2.3 million years.
~600,000 years ago, 3 times
Which factors contribute to sea-level rise from global warming?
melting land ice and heating and expansion of sea water
The effect of aerosols can be best described as ____.
reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2014 estimated that Earth's average surface temperature would likely rise by how much above preindustrial levels by 2050?
two degrees Celsius
In the days preceding Hurricane Katrina, many people decide to stay in New Orleans even though they were instructed to evacuate. Why did some people stay in the city? (select all the reasons given in the video)
- They had survived previous hurricanes without evacuating. - They were elderly or sick - They did not have transportation
Select all the things that can occur BEFORE a catastrophic landslide.
- extensional cracks near the top of a slope - slumping of soils and sediments on a slope - small landslides
Select all the factors that contributed to the destabilization of the slope and led to the 2014 landslide.
- higher than average precipitation - undercutting of the slope by the Stillaguamish River - slope composed of glacial sediments with high porosity
When Charles Keeling began monitoring CO2 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in 1960, he recorded CO2 levels at around 320 ppm. What is the rate of change in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels between 1960 and 2017?
1.5 ppm/yr
Increases in precipitation lead to increased landslide risk. On average, how many landslide-related deaths occur in Nepal during each monsoon season?
100
The October 1963 Vajont Dam landslide killed around 2,500 people. How long did it take for the mass movement to flow out of the reservoir, over the dam, and into the valley below?
12 minutes
Approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO2 begin?
1800s
Between 20,000 - 800,000 years ago, there were several ice ages (periods of global cooling interspersed with periods of warming). During these extended periods of cooling (we call these glaciations), ice advanced over the land and CO2 concentrations decreased. During warming periods (we call these interglacials) CO2 concentrations increased. What was the average atmospheric CO2 concentration during the ice ages?
185 ppm
Approximately what year did CO2 levels start to noticeably increase from the pre-industrial levels? This part of the animation moves quickly so you will have to pause and rewind.
1850
After scientists installed seismographs, how many earthquakes per week did they record?
25
How long before a flood can someone purchase insurance from the National Flood Insurance program?
30 days
An unusually wet summer was the primary cause of the 1993 Flood. The jet stream became locked over the midwest and ____ inches of rain fell over ____ months.
30,6
Over the last 800,000 years before industrialization (between the year 1800 and 800,000 BCE), what was the largest amount of CO2 during that time?
300 ppm
Over the last 800,000 years before industrialization (between the year 1800 and 800,000 BCE), when was the largest peak of CO2?
325,000 yrs ago
What was the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in January, 2017?
406 ppm
According to the video, how many people died in the Oso Landslide?
43
How many states in the United States are affected by landslides
50
During the 1993 flood, Quincey, Illinois experienced flooding at the ________ recurrence interval.
500 years
What is the elevation of the city of New Orleans?
7-10 feet below sea level
What would the Volcanic Explosivity Index be if Yellowstone erupts?
8
The Japanese islands formed from a volcanic island arc. At convergent ocean - ocean boundaries volcanoes form when the subducted plate is at what depth?
80-100 km
How many states were directly affected by the 1993 Flood?
9
The wetlands surrounding New Orleans are rapidly disappearing. Why?
A and B
It was assumed that Yellowstone's heat source was an extinct volcano. What event made scientists realize that Yellowstone was still active and prompted them to take a closer look at the seismic activity of the national park?
A large earthquake in Yellowstone National Park in 1959.
Which of the following is not true concerning tsunamis on the open ocean?
A tsunami in the open ocean will look like a huge wall of water to a ship in its path.
Using the accompanying diagram, label the features correctly.
A: head, B: toe, C: crown, D: main scarp
The meteorologist who originally proposed the idea of continents being able to move around on Earth's surface was _____.
Alfred Wegener
A tsunami may occur when ?
All of the above
The force of the October 1963 Vajont landslide was enough to _____.
All of the above are results of the 1963 Vajont Dam landslide.
The island of Hispaniola is located on which of the following plates?
All of the above. (Gone, NA, Caribbean)
Why does a delta form when a river meets the ocean?
All the above
Which agency manages the rivers, dams, and levees in the United States.?
Army Corp of Engineers
Weak layer in the mantle that allows the tectonic plates to slip, collide, and separate.
Asthenosphere
Based upon knowledge of landslide physics, where did geologists direct rescue workers to search for survivors?
At the distal edge of the slide
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase every year but there are large annual fluctuations in the northern mid-latitudes (red dot/line) but not in the southern high latitudes (blue dot/line). What causes this oscillation?
Carbon dioxide level change with the seasons primarily due to photosynthesis.
Which town's levee failure was credited with saving St Louis, Missouri from flooding.
Columbia, IL
What is the major difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?
Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.
Earthquakes associated with reverse faulting results in crustal shortening, which is generally found at which type of boundary?
Convergent
Plate boundary where plates collide with each other and oceanic plates subduct under continental plates
Convergent
Which of the following is true according to the diagram below? (Quiz 3, Q8)
Deeper earthquakes are generally further from the trench than shallower earthquakes.
Earthquakes associated with normal faulting cause the extension of Earth's crust. This type of faulting is generally associated with which type of plate boundary?
Divergent
Plate boundary where plates are moving away from each other at mid-oceanic ridges
Divergent
Which of the following did not occur during the Dec. 16, 1811, New Madrid earthquake?
Downed power lines caused numerous small fires along the Mississippi River.
Due to the force of the water that hit the Vajont Dam, the dam itself sustained severe damage.
False
The Hawaiian Islands are a volcanic arc atop an oceanic subduction zone.
False
The October 1963 Vajont Dam landslide occurred without any warning.
False
The terms 'tsunami' and 'tidal wave' mean the same thing and are interchangeable when discussing a seismic sea wave.
False
Where in North America are sinkholes most prevalent and why?
Florida, because it is almost all limestone and has abundant groundwater
What was unique about the 2014 Oso Landslide?
Given the height of the slope, the slide debris traveled 5 times farther than it should have.
Which of the following volcanoes formed over a hot spot?
Hawaii
Which proxy records are used in reconstructing the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations before modern direct measurements and monitoring stations?
Ice cores
If you are at the beach and feel a large earthquake, what should you do, and when should you do it?
Immediately run up slope as far as possible
Eye witness accounts reported that the Mississippi River flowed backward during at least one of the larger earthquakes during the New Madrid 1811-1812 earthquake swarm. What is the best explanation for why the river 'flowed backward?'
Intense shaking along the river caused water to bounce from one side of the river to the other. This formed waves that flowed upriver, making it appear that the river was flowing backwards.
Why does the intensity map for the Dec. 16, 1811, earthquake not show any intensities on the west side of the map?
Intensities are not shown on the west side of the map because the population of European settlers in that part of the U.S. was sparse.
What kind of natural hazards are not normally insurable?
Landslides
Which is the product of a non-explosive style of eruption?
Lava flows
After the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over New Orleans, why did the flood waters continue to rise in the low-lying areas of the city?
Levee along two canals failed and water from Lake Ponchartrain drained into the city center.
Select all the engineering systems or structures mentioned in the video that were put in place in New Orleans to deal with potential flooding.
Levees Flood walls Pumps Drainage canals
Oceanic lithosphere is created at _____ ____.
Mid-oceanic ridge
The costs of catastrophic events continue to increase primarily because ____.
Moving into high risk areas for natural disasters
What do the red and blue dots represent on the graph and small map?
NOAA observatory stations
Crust that is denser and thinner than Continental crust
Oceanic
Which earthquake waves travel the fastest and are felt first and appear first on a seismogram?
P waves
Which town's levee withstood the flood?
Prairie du Rocher, IL
What causes caverns or open spaces to form in limestone?
Rainwater mixes with carbon dioxide to make weak carbonic acid that dissolves limestone.
Besides wind, what is the biggest hazard from hurricanes?
Storm surge
Which type of earthquake waves do the most damage?
Surface waves
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was reported to have a moment magnitude of Mw7.1. What is the difference in the moment magnitude (Mw) and the Richter magnitude (M)?
The Richter magnitude is based on the highest amplitude of seismic waves measured on a seismogram, whereas the moment magnitude takes into account the area of rupture, the amount of movement along the fault, and the strength of the rocks that ruptured.
What is the tectonic reason for the Sunda Strait?
The Sunda Strait formed as a result of the wrenching motion caused by the north-northeast motion of the island of Sumatra and the east motion of the island of Java.
Why is Yellowstone's super volcano so explosive?
The magma beneath Yellowstone is full of gas and very viscous because it is silica-rich.
Which of the following was the main reason why most scientists did not believe in the concept of continental drift?
The originator of the concept of continental drift did not adequately explain how the continents could move.
What was the origin of the pumice rafts associated with the 1883 eruption of Krakatau?
The pumice rafts formed when hot ash from pyroclastic flows encountered cold seawater.
Which of the following did not occur as a result of the eruption of Krakatau?
The sound of the explosions could be heard as far away as San Francisco, California.
What caused the Industrial Canal & Intercoastal Waterway levees to fail?
The storm surge sent a huge wave of water up the Intercoastal Waterway, over-topping the canal walls and scouring away the earthen levees.
Why would a home built on the floodplain behind a levee be safe from flooding?
This statement is not true
Why would a home built on the floodplain behind a levee be safe from flooding?
This statement is not true.
In a coastal area, why build a groin? (a series of groins are shown in the picture)
To stop longshore drift and trap sand to extend the beach.
The most recent supervolcano to erupt was _________ and it occurred ________ years ago. This volcano may have nearly ended human life on earth.
Toba; 74,000
A rapid retreat of the shoreline can indicate a tsunami wave is imminent.
True
A tsunami ripped the Dutch ship Berouw from its moorings and deposited it 0.5 miles upstream from the ocean. A subsequent wave picked it up again and carried it another mile upstream.
True
Natural gas was the largest source of electricity/power generation in the United States in 2016.
True
Volcanoes with high silica magmas generally have more explosive eruptions than those with lower silica magmas.
True
When the Dec. 16, 1811 New Madrid earthquake occurred in Missouri, people as far away as New York and North Caroline felt the shaking.
True
According the Case Study, what do residents of Houston blame for exacerbating flooding in their neighborhoods?
Unregulated development/building in the area
Why did the 17th Street and London Street canals fail?
Water soaked into the underlying peat layer and weakened the soft sediments beneath the levee wall.
Yellowstone is a caldera that overlies an active magma chamber.
What is Yellowstone?
When is a large event such as a major earthquake not a disaster?
When it happens in an area without any people
Based upon the Modified Mercalli Shake Map, the highest intensity estimated for the New Madrid December 16, 1811 earthquake was _____.
X+
What is the source of Yellowstone's volcanism?
Yellowstone sits on a hotspot.
When waves approach the shore and enter shallow water
`the waves slow down and the wave height increases
Beach nourishment _______________.
a coastal engineering method that replenishes the sand to provide a recreation beach and helps protect coastal properties from erosion by widening the beach
Like all hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Katrina began as _____.
a storm off the west coast of Africa.
The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes occurred _______.
all of the above
The Dec. 16, 1811 earthquake ________.
all of the above
What makes Houston susceptible to flooding?
all of the above
What was (were) the cause(s) of the La Conchita mudslides of 1995 and 2005?
all of the above
Eruptions dominated by basalt compositions are found where?
along divergent boundaries at mid-oceanic ridges
If a 100-year flood occurred this year, when is the next 100-year flood possible?
anytime
The Reelfoot Rift formed _______.
as a result of the breakup of Rodinia over 700 million years ago.
The layer of the Earth that deforms and flows, behaving like a plastic, is called the _____.
asthenosphere
Why are the impacts of coastal hazards such as erosion, storm surge, and flooding so great?
because densely populated areas are located at or near the coasts
In what way can the construction of dams and levees INCREASE flood damage (both loss of property and life) on a floodplain?
by giving a false sense of security that encourages building and living on the floodplain
Greenhouse gases include all of the following. Which gas is thought to have the greatest effect on global warming or increasing global temperatures?
carbon dioxide
What contains the largest reservoir of carbon?
carbonate rock
CO2 reacts with water to form _______________, which makes the ocean more acidic.
carbonic acid
One of the geologists listed some potential precursors to a Yellowstone eruption. The precursors he listed are earthquake swarms, heating of the ground, increasing hydrothermal events, and _____.
ground uplift.
In the spring of 2003, some unusual events occurred in Yellowstone that caused some to worry that Yellowstone might erupt. Select the 3 events that occurred in 2003.
- The ground heated up and cracks opened up. - A pack of bison died from poisonous gas. - Steamboat Geyser, a geyser that can be dormant for up to 50 years, began erupting.
Select the 3 methods inspired by the 1993 Flood to prevent future damage and loss from flooding.
- Elevating homes above flood level - Returning agricultural land to natural wetlands - Leaving crop residue on the land to reduce soil erosion and run-off
Why does Japan rely so heavily on nuclear energy?
Because Japan has few natural resources that it can use to generate electricity.