GEOGRAPHY 1.

1
extreme natural events

Achievement Standard Information

Subject
Reference
Title

Level

Geography 1.1
Demonstrate geographic understanding of
environments that have been shaped by
extreme natural event(s)
Credits

Assessment

External

Achievement Objective
.

To fully explain aspects of how

extreme natural event
(earthquakes) shape natural and
cultural environments using
geographic terminology and
concepts, showing insight
integrating detailed supporting
evidence.

Achievement Criteria

Achievement

Achievement with
Achievement with
Merit
Excellence
Demonstrate in- Demonstrate
Demonstrate
comprehensive
geographic
depth geographic
geographic
understanding of
understanding of
environments
environments
understanding of
environments that
that have been
that have been
shaped by
shaped by
have been shaped
by extreme natural
extreme natural
extreme natural
event(s).
event(s).
event(s).

You must be able to answer questions on

all of the following:

natural and cultural characteristics (features) of the environments

that make them vulnerable to the extreme natural event(s)

natural processes that operate to produce the extreme natural

event(s)

effects of the extreme natural event(s) on the natural

environments

effects of the extreme natural event(s) on the cultural

environments

how different groups of people have responded to the effects of

the extreme natural event(s).

Task: Write a sentence (s) explaining the

difference between a natural disaster and an
extreme natural event
Natural Hazard

A short-term changes in the

weather or environment that can
have long-term effects, like a
storm or earthquake.

Extreme Natural Event

An event occurring naturally that

has large-scale effects on the
environment and people, such as a
volcano, earthquake, or hurricane.

When extreme natural events have the

potential to damage property or people they
become a natural hazard.
Complete the worksheet (pages 3,4)

FQN 1: Natural and cultural

characteristics (features) of the
environments that make them vulnerable
to the extreme natural event(s)

Characteristics of natural environments

making them vulnerable to earthquakes

During an earthquake, the ground shakes as stored up energy is released from

rocks.

Nearly all earthquakes occur at plate

tectonic boundaries and all types of
plate boundaries have earthquakes.

Characteristics of natural environments

making them vulnerable to earthquakes

The Pacific Ocean basin and the

Mediterranean-Asiatic belt are the
two geographic regions most likely
to experience quakes.

Yellow = Largest
Red = Deadliest

Task: Brainstorm the

effects on the natural
environment caused by
earthquakes

Why and Where?

If we look at the pattern of where earthquakes occur around the world, it is

clear that most of the earthquake activity is concentrated in a number of
distinct earthquake belts. For instance, around the edge of the Pacific Ocean,
or

The outer shell of the Earth, or Lithosphere, is made up of a number of rigid

segments called tectonic plates. These plates are continually moving at rates
of a few centimetres per year (about as fast as your fingernails grow), driven
by forces deep within the Earth. Below the Lithospheric plates, lies the
Earths Asthenosphere. The Asthenosphere behaves like a fluid over very long
time scales, allowing it to convect. Convection acts like giant conveyor belts,
moving the overlying plates around. Tremendous stresses build up, and are
where most earthquakes occur.

Why and Where?

Characteristics of natural environments

making them vulnerable to the affects
of earthquakes

Soil type can have a huge influence on the effect of the earthquake.

Liquefaction

Some soils are very susceptible to

liquefaction. Others are less
susceptible.

Liquefaction only happens in loose

sandy or silty soils below the water
table.

It doesn't happen in clay soils,

which tend to stick together, and it
is very unusual in gravelly soils

Characteristics of natural environments

making them vulnerable to the affects of
earthquakes - Relief

Hillsides can be susceptible to

landslides and rockfall as seen
following the Christchurch
earthquakes at Sumner

Characteristics of natural environments

making them vulnerable to the affects of
earthquakes Proximity to rivers and streams
Some of the most dramatic effects of
earthquakes occur along rivers.

Banks caved into the rivers

Fissures opened and closed in the

river beds.

New sections of river channel can

be formed and old channels cut
off.

Land near streams often slumps as

it is moist

Characteristics of
cultural environments
making them vulnerable
to the effects of
earthquakes

Cultural Characteristics that determine the

effect of the ENE of the environment

Types of buildings e.g. materials used, depth and strength of

foundations, architecture chimneys, decoration, height

Density of built environment

Size of the population

Energy source gas, electricity etc

Emergency service resources e.g. Civil Defence plan,

Ambulance, Police, Fire Brigade, Military etc

Government legislation e.g. building codes

Level of insurance

Readiness of residents and councils

EXTENSION TASK (to be completed for

homework)

You are to prepare an information sheet / brochure for a family who are
worried about moving to Christchurch.

The aim of your information is to help them to minimize the effect if there
were to be an earthquake.

What part of Christchurch would they be best to settle in with regard to the
natural environment? Explain why with mention to other areas that would not
be more susceptible to damage

Go through the cultural factors and explain the ideal situation for at least
eight of them e.g. what they should build their house out of? What sort of
foundations are strongest for houses in an earthquake? etc

FQN2: Explain the natural processes that

operate to produce the extreme natural
event(s)

Read the handout given to you by Mrs

Grinter Processes that Produce
Earthquakes

The Structure of the Earth

The Crust: this brittle outermost layer varies in

thickness from 25 to 60 km under continents, and
from 4 to 6 km under the oceans. Continental crust
is quite complex in structure and is made from many
different kinds of rocks.

The Mantle: below the crust lies the dense Mantle,

extending to a depth of 2890 km. It consists of
dense silicate rocks. Both P- and S-waves from
earthquakes travel through the mantle,
demonstrating that it is solid. However, there is
separate evidence that parts of the Mantle behaves
as a fluid over very long geological times scales,
with rocks flowing slowly in giant convection cells.

The Core: at a depth of 2890 km is the boundary

between the Mantle and the Earth's Core. The Core
is composed of Iron and we know that it exists
because it refracts seismic waves creating a
shadow zone at distances between 103 and 143.
We also know that the outer part of the Core is
liquid, because S-waves do not pass through it.

When two continental plates

converge there is often an uplift
of land, which forms mountains,
like the Himalayas of Central Asia

When two oceanic plates

converge there can be deep
undersea trenches as well as
hotspots of volcanic activity
that causes volcanic islands to
form.

The release of energy

When the plates grind past each other at the boundaries, they create
frictional stress. When the frictional stress exceeds a critical value,
called local strength, a sudden failure occurs. When the failure occurs
there is a violent movement and displacement of the Earths crust.
When this happens, seismic waves of energy are released and they
radiate out causing what we term earthquakes.

Image: Michigan Tech.

The Epicenter
The epicenter of
an earthquake is on
the surface,
directly above the
focus of energy
that is the centre
of the earthquake.
A shallow
earthquake causes
greater damage
than a deep
earthquake.

The boundary of tectonic plates where

earthquakes occur is called the Fault
Plane.

Fault lines
Fault lines are rock fractures
which are evidence of
earthquake activity. Along the
main plate boundaries one
can clearly see impressive
fault lines, and there are
often smaller fault lines in an
active area, called a Fault
Zone.

The New
Zealand Alpine
Fault

Australian Plate

Fault lines can also occur

away from the plate
boundaries, sometimes
showing geological evidence
of past movement.
Pacific Plate
Image: NASA

A closer look at the Alpine Fault:

This view was created from the near-global digital elevation model produced
by the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and is almost 500
kilometers wide. Northwest is toward the top. The fault is extremely distinct
in the topographic pattern, nearly slicing this scene in half lengthwise.
Image from Wikipedia.org

The Wellington Fault Line is clearly seen from space.

The Himalayan Mountain Range is a good example of land that has

been pushed up due to the convergence of two plates.
Can you name the plates?

Japan experiences
plenty of tectonic
activity as it lies
close to the
boundary of four
different plates.
Eurasian
Plate

Pacific Plate

From satellite imagery, geologists can accurately identify the location of

plate boundaries and fault lines. Look at how close the city of Tokyo is to
the convergence of three tectonic plates.

Seismic Waves

Two different types of seismic waves are generated by the sudden movement
on a fault: P-waves and S-waves.

A third type of seismic wave is generated by the interaction of the P- and Swaves with the surface and internal layers of the Earth.

The speed of the waves depends on wave type and the properties of the rock;
the denser the rock, the faster the waves travel. In the Earths crust P-waves
travel at around 6-7 km/s, while S-waves travel at around 3.5-4 km/s.

P-Waves

P-waves travel fastest. They

consist of successive contractions
and expansions, just like sound
waves in air. The motion of the
particles in the rocks that the
waves travel through is parallel to
the direction of the wave.

S-Waves

S-waves are slower than P-waves.

They are transverse waves, which
means that the particle motion is
at right angles to the direction of
travel. S-waves cannot travel
through air or liquids.