Seismic Waves

Description

This week’s lab assignments review the basics of some of the greatest disasters that occur on earth: earthquakes and volcanoes. Each of these is largely due to the movement caused by plate tectonics, the shifting about of the great plates of the Earth’s crust. 

Part 1:  The Shakeout Earthquake Scenario.  This includes online information from the USGS website – the best source to turn to for current earthquake information.  Much of the assignment involves studying and evaluating a realistic Southern California earthquake scenario.  Even if you do not live in California, you need to think about how these events will impact you.
Coaching Points:The lab is mostly based on the public booklet that was produced for the first California ShakeOut 15 years ago. The idea is to have a standard earthquake that the disaster scenario could be practiced with. While there are earlier scenarios this has become the one that is now referenced the most. One major reason for this is the fact that the Southern San Andreas Fault has had major earthquakes in the past but none in the recorded history of Southern California. It could be described as the segment of the San Andreas most overdue.

Most of the parts of this exercise are straightforward. When looking at the earthquakes be sure the parameters are correct and that you have checked the box to only show earthquakes in the list.

In the SharkOut Scenario itself probably the most challenging question is the one about the Lifeline Corridors. While they are described on page 2, the map on Page 3 is the useful one to answer the question about the five danger points on the corridors. If you are not familiar with the Southern California highway system it is important to know that State Route 14 north from Los Angeles is one of the major routes out of town (hint, hint), a fact that the thin green line does not communicate well.

Part 2: These week’s lab assignments review the basics of some of the greatest disasters that occur on earth: earthquakes and volcanoes. Each of these is largely due to the movement caused by plate
tectonics, the shifting about of the great plates of the Earth’s crust.

Part 2:  Seismic Waves.  This lab uses visualization of seismic waves as they travel through the earth produced for the seismology consortium IRIS. Download the lab worksheet and fill out the questions related to the different earthquake visualizations. Upload your worksheet with your responses, either digital or scanned.