Geol 111 Final

1800s

​Approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO2 begin?

carbonic acid

​CO2 reacts with water to form _______________, which makes the ocean more acidic.

​two degrees Celsius

​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?

​reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere

​The effect of aerosols can be best described as ____.

carbonate rock

​What contains the largest reservoir of carbon?

​melting land ice and heating and expansion of sea water

​Which factors contribute to sea-level rise from global warming?

lava flows

A basalt magma typically erupts in what form?

True

A rapid retreat of the shoreline can indicate a tsunami wave is imminent.

two plates sliding laterally past each other.

A transform plate boundary involves

All of the above

A tsunami may occur when ?

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.

185 ppm

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?

Oceanic

Crust that is denser and thinner than Continental crust

False

Due to the force of the water that hit the Vajont Dam, the dam itself sustained severe damage.

500 years

During the 1993 flood, Quincey, Illinois experienced flooding at the ________ recurrence interval.

occur on faults when rocks rupture, releasing stored up stress as energy

Earthquakes

Divergent

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?

Convergent

Earthquakes associated with reverse faulting results in crustal shortening, which is generally found at which type of boundary?

along divergent boundaries at mid-oceanic ridges

Eruptions dominated by basalt compositions are found where?

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.

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?'

carbon dioxide

Greenhouse gases include all of the following. Which gas is thought to have the greatest effect on global warming or increasing global temperatures?

high silica content and high water

Highly explosive magmas are controlled by which of the following?

greenhouse gas particles absorb infrared radiation from the earth

How do greenhouse gases warm Earth's atmosphere?

it increases runoff and decreases the time between the precipitation event and the water reaching the stream.

How do impermeable surfaces (ie: concrete) from urbanization affect runoff and flooding?

30 days

How long before a flood can someone purchase insurance from the National Flood Insurance program?

50

How many states in the United States are affected by landslides

9

How many states were directly affected by the 1993 Flood?

anytime

If a 100-year flood occurred this year, when is the next 100-year flood possible?

Immediately run up slope as far as possible

If you are at the beach and feel a large earthquake, what should you do, and when should you do it?

To stop longshore drift and trap sand to extend the beach.

In a coastal area, why build a groin? (a series of groins are shown in the picture)

- They had survived previous hurricanes without evacuating. - They were elderly or sick - They did not have transportation

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)

- 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.

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.

by giving a false sense of security that encourages building and living on the floodplain

In what way can the construction of dams and levees INCREASE flood damage (both loss of property and life) on a floodplain?

melt

Increase in temperature with same pressure, high water content, and decrease in pressure will cause a rock to _____.

100

Increases in precipitation lead to increased landslide risk. On average, how many landslide-related deaths occur in Nepal during each monsoon season?

A large earthquake in Yellowstone National Park in 1959.

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 storm off the west coast of Africa.

Like all hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Katrina began as _____.

when saturated soil and other unconsolidated Earth materials lose their strength during an earthquake and behave like a liquid.

Liquefaction occurs when _____.

shells

Marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their _______________.

in the Ring of Fire.

Most of Earth's active volcanoes are found _____.

True

Natural gas was the largest source of electricity/power generation in the United States in 2016.

Mid-oceanic ridge

Oceanic lithosphere is created at _____ ____.

flash floods and flooding

On average, more people die from which type of natural disaster than any other?

ground uplift.

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 _____.

salt and gypsum

Other than limestone, what types of rocks are soluble in water and can form cavities that collapse?

intense, warmer ocean temperatures

Over the last 30 years, hurricanes have become more ______ due to _______.

300 ppm

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?

325,000 yrs ago

Over the last 800,000 years before industrialization (between the year 1800 and 800,000 BCE), when was the largest peak of CO2?

Divergent

Plate boundary where plates are moving away from each other at mid-oceanic ridges

Convergent

Plate boundary where plates collide with each other and oceanic plates subduct under continental plates

transform

Plate boundary where the edges of the plates slide past each other

intense shaking ejects overpressured mud and sand to the surface along narrow fractures.

Sand boils and mud volcanoes form when _____.

Levees Flood walls Pumps Drainage canals

Select all the engineering systems or structures mentioned in the video that were put in place in New Orleans to deal with potential flooding.

- higher than average precipitation - undercutting of the slope by the Stillaguamish River - slope composed of glacial sediments with high porosity

Select all the factors that contributed to the destabilization of the slope and led to the 2014 landslide.

- extensional cracks near the top of a slope - slumping of soils and sediments on a slope - small landslides

Select all the things that can occur BEFORE a catastrophic landslide.

dams levees channelization

Select the 3 ENGINEERING flood-control methods

- Elevating homes above flood level - Returning agricultural land to natural wetlands - Leaving crop residue on the land to reduce soil erosion and run-off

Select the 3 methods inspired by the 1993 Flood to prevent future damage and loss from flooding.

all of the above

The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes occurred _______.

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.

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)?

all of the above

The Dec. 16, 1811 earthquake ________.

subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American plate.

The Great Tohoku earthquake occurred as a result of ______.

False

The Hawaiian Islands are a volcanic arc atop an oceanic subduction zone.

80-100 km

The Japanese islands formed from a volcanic island arc. At convergent ocean - ocean boundaries volcanoes form when the subducted plate is at what depth?

The Midcontinent Rift is evidence that the central part of the North American continent was once the site of a divergent boundary that failed.

The Midcontinent Rift which underlies part of Iowa is evidence of what past geologic event?

12 minutes

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?

False

The October 1963 Vajont Dam landslide occurred without any warning.

as a result of the breakup of Rodinia over 700 million years ago.

The Reelfoot Rift formed _______.

Moving into high risk areas for natural disasters

The costs of catastrophic events continue to increase primarily because ____.

longshore current

The current flowing parallel to and just offshore of a beach is called

On the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault.

The epicenter of the 2010 Haiti earthquake was located _____.

All of the above are results of the 1963 Vajont Dam landslide.

The force of the October 1963 Vajont landslide was enough to _____.

All of the above. (Gone, NA, Caribbean)

The island of Hispaniola is located on which of the following plates?

asthenosphere

The layer of the Earth that deforms and flows, behaving like a plastic, is called the _____.

Alfred Wegener

The meteorologist who originally proposed the idea of continents being able to move around on Earth's surface was _____.

Toba; 74,000

The most recent supervolcano to erupt was _________ and it occurred ________ years ago. This volcano may have nearly ended human life on earth.

the average number of years between occurrences of a flood of that magnitude or greater.

The recurrence interval for a flood of a given magnitude is defined as...

one-story shanties made of mud and twig walls, sheet metal roofs, and earthen floors

The residential construction that sustained the least amount of damage during the Haiti earthquake was _____.

visible light

The sun's peak radiation is in the _______ part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

False

The terms 'tsunami' and 'tidal wave' mean the same thing and are interchangeable when discussing a seismic sea wave.

A and B

The wetlands surrounding New Orleans are rapidly disappearing. Why?

move much faster

Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunami waves are different because they ?

the area around Oso had a history of landslides

Using LIDAR mapping and carbon dating, geologists found evidence that _______.

A: head, B: toe, C: crown, D: main scarp

Using the accompanying diagram, label the features correctly.

Plate A is the Pacific Plate

Using the accompanying diagram, which of the following is represented by Plate A? (Quiz 3, Q11)

True

Volcanoes with high silica magmas generally have more explosive eruptions than those with lower silica magmas.

increasing use of fossil fuels

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?

Asthenosphere

Weak layer in the mantle that allows the tectonic plates to slip, collide, and separate.

subduction-zone earthquakes and landslide into the ocean

What are two main causes of tsunami?

The storm surge sent a huge wave of water up the Intercoastal Waterway, over-topping the canal walls and scouring away the earthen levees.

What caused the Industrial Canal & Intercoastal Waterway levees to fail?

Rainwater mixes with carbon dioxide to make weak carbonic acid that dissolves limestone.

What causes caverns or open spaces to form in limestone?

NOAA observatory stations

What do the red and blue dots represent on the graph and small map?

how much damage the shaking caused

What does the Mercalli Intensity Scale depend on?

the maximum amplitude of earthquake waves on a seismograph

What does the Richter Magnitude Scale depend on?

they interrupt the transport of sand down the beach front

What effect do groins, breakwaters, and jetties have on coastal erosion?

7-10 feet below sea level

What is the elevation of the city of New Orleans?

Continental crust is less dense than oceanic crust.

What is the major difference between oceanic crust and continental crust?

gravity exceeds strength of the slope

What is the primary cause of landslides

the inner core is solid while the outer core is liquid

What is the principal difference between the inner core and outer core?

Yellowstone sits on a hotspot.

What is the source of Yellowstone's volcanism?

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.

What is the tectonic reason for the Sunda Strait?

Landslides

What kind of natural hazards are not normally insurable?

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?

406 ppm

What was the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in January, 2017?

The pumice rafts formed when hot ash from pyroclastic flows encountered cold seawater.

What was the origin of the pumice rafts associated with the 1883 eruption of Krakatau?

Given the height of the slope, the slide debris traveled 5 times farther than it should have.

What was unique about the 2014 Oso Landslide?

8

What would the Volcanic Explosivity Index be if Yellowstone erupts?

1.5 ppm/yr

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?

When it happens in an area without any people

When is a large event such as a major earthquake not a disaster?

liquifaction

When pore spaces in sediment becomes saturated with water, the sediment loses strength and cohesion. This phenomenon is called __________.

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.

`the waves slow down and the wave height increases

When waves approach the shore and enter shallow water

seasonal changes in vegetation photosynthesis

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?

Florida, because it is almost all limestone and has abundant groundwater

Where in North America are sinkholes most prevalent and why?

Army Corp of Engineers

Which agency manages the rivers, dams, and levees in the United States.?

P waves

Which earthquake waves travel the fastest and are felt first and appear first on a seismogram?

Lava flows

Which is the product of a non-explosive style of eruption?

The sound of the explosions could be heard as far away as San Francisco, California.

Which of the following did not occur as a result of the eruption of Krakatau?

Downed power lines caused numerous small fires along the Mississippi River.

Which of the following did not occur during the Dec. 16, 1811, New Madrid earthquake?

to raise groundwater levels

Which of the following is NOT a common reason cited for building large dams on rivers?

A tsunami in the open ocean will look like a huge wall of water to a ship in its path.

Which of the following is not true concerning tsunamis on the open ocean?

gravity

Which of the following is the major driving force in all mass movements?

Deeper earthquakes are generally further from the trench than shallower earthquakes.

Which of the following is true according to the diagram below? (Quiz 3, Q8)

The lithosphere contains the crust and the upper part of the plastic asthenosphere.

Which of the following statements is NOT true with respect to Earth's mechanical layers?

Hawaii

Which of the following volcanoes formed over a hot spot?

The originator of the concept of continental drift did not adequately explain how the continents could move.

Which of the following was the main reason why most scientists did not believe in the concept of continental drift?

the triple junction centered around the Afar Triangle in northeast Africa.

Which of the following would be a modern analogy to the Reelfoot Rift when it was active?

Ice cores

Which proxy records are used in reconstructing the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations before modern direct measurements and monitoring stations?

Columbia, IL

Which town's levee failure was credited with saving St Louis, Missouri from flooding.

Prairie du Rocher, IL

Which town's levee withstood the flood?

Surface waves

Which type of earthquake waves do the most damage?

seacliffs are exposed to wave action, and they are also steep slopes, which can make them susceptible to landslides

Why are seacliffs so prone to erosion?

because densely populated areas are located at or near the coasts

Why are the impacts of coastal hazards such as erosion, storm surge, and flooding so great?

Water soaked into the underlying peat layer and weakened the soft sediments beneath the levee wall.

Why did the 17th Street and London Street canals fail?

Because Japan has few natural resources that it can use to generate electricity.

Why does Japan rely so heavily on nuclear energy?

All the above

Why does a delta form when a river meets the ocean?

the supply of new sand to replenish beaches is cut off

Why does the damming of rivers sometime contribute to coastal erosion?

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.

Why does the intensity map for the Dec. 16, 1811, earthquake not show any intensities on the west side of the map?

The magma beneath Yellowstone is full of gas and very viscous because it is silica-rich.

Why is Yellowstone's super volcano so explosive?

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.

Why would a home built on the floodplain behind a levee be safe from flooding?

What is Yellowstone?

Yellowstone is a caldera that overlies an active magma chamber.

~600,000 years ago, 3 times

Yellowstone's most recent eruption was _______. There is evidence that Yellowstone has errupted _____ in the last 2.3 million years.

subduction zone

oceanic lithosphere returns to the mantle at the _____ ______

At the distal edge of the slide

Based upon knowledge of landslide physics, where did geologists direct rescue workers to search for survivors?

X+

Based upon the Modified Mercalli Shake Map, the highest intensity estimated for the New Madrid December 16, 1811 earthquake was _____.

a coastal engineering method that replenishes the sand to provide a recreation beach and helps protect coastal properties from erosion by widening the beach

Beach nourishment _______________.

Storm surge

Besides wind, what is the biggest hazard from hurricanes?

1850

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.

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.

As a result of mass movements on the slope above the Vajont Dam, _______.

earthquakes

At convergent plate boundaries, the subducting oceanic pate grinds along the base of the overriding plate, generating large ______.

Carbon dioxide level change with the seasons primarily due to photosynthesis.

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?

Unregulated development/building in the area

According the Case Study, what do residents of Houston blame for exacerbating flooding in their neighborhoods?

43

According to the video, how many people died in the Oso Landslide?

25

After scientists installed seismographs, how many earthquakes per week did they record?

Levee along two canals failed and water from Lake Ponchartrain drained into the city center.

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?

jetties

All the engineering approaches below are put in place to prevent a river from flooding except...

levee

All the engineering structures below are used to alter or slow coastal wave erosion except...

quick clay

An unstable marine sediment with a disorganized structure that can flow like water if disturbed is called _________.

30,6

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.

tsunamis and pyroclastic flows

Approximately 40,000 people died as a result of the 1883 eruption of Krakatau. What were the two volcanic hazards responsible for these deaths?