Presents an introduction to volcanoes and earthquakes, explaining how the movement of the Earth's interior plates cause their formation and describing the volcanoes which currently exist around the world as well as some of the famous earthquakes of the nineteenth through twenty-first cenuturies.
The theory of plate tectonics transformed earth science. The hypothesis that the earth’s outermost layers consist of mostly rigid plates that move over an inner surface helped describe the growth of new seafloor, confirm continental drift, and explain why earthquakes and volcanoes occur in some places and not others. Lynn R. Sykes played a key role in the birth of plate tectonics, conducting revelatory research on earthquakes. In this book, he gives an invaluable insider’s perspective on the theory’s development and its implications. Sykes combines lucid explanation of how plate tectonics revolutionized geology with unparalleled personal reflections. He entered the field when it was on the cusp of radical discoveries. Studying the distribution and mechanisms of earthquakes, Sykes pioneered the identification of seismic gaps—regions that have not ruptured in great earthquakes for a long time—and methods to estimate the possibility of quake recurrence. He recounts the various phases of his career, including his antinuclear activism, and the stories of colleagues around the world who took part in changing the paradigm. Sykes delves into the controversies over earthquake prediction and their importance, especially in the wake of the giant 2011 Japanese earthquake and the accompanying Fukushima disaster. He highlights geology’s lessons for nuclear safety, explaining why historic earthquake patterns are crucial to understanding the risks to power plants. Plate Tectonics and Great Earthquakes is the story of a scientist witnessing a revolution and playing an essential role in making it.
Describes plate tectonics and how they cause earthquakes and volcanoes, and discusses how scientists study the nature of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.
Combines facts with photographs of volcanoes and earthquake-affected regions to introduce readers to such topics as underwater volcanoes and plate tectonics while offering insight into the world-changing power of natural disasters.
How do volcanoes erupt, what makes earthquakes so destructive, and why do tsunamis happen? Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis answers these questions and more, giving you everything you need to know about these powerful natural phenomena. It covers the plate tectonic background to Earth processes, where magma is made and how it erupts, volcano types, eruption hazards and how they are monitored, faults and earthquakes, the causes of tsunamis and tsunami preparedness. You will examine many examples of these frightening events, find out to what extent they can be predicted and mitigated against, and come to realize how they are related and the impact they have on human society and the natural world. Written by Dr David Rothery, a volcanologist, geologist, planetary scientist and Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Tsunamis: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to know, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear English and providing added-value features like a glossary of essential terms and even examples of questions you might be asked in your seminar or exam. The book covers the essentials of most university courses, with an introduction on how the Earth moves, followed by separate sections on volcanoes (including eruptions, types of volcano, volcanic hazards, volcanoes and climate, monitoring volcanoes, predicting eruptions and living with volcanoes), earthquakes (including faults, measurement, seismic monitoring, prediction, prevention and preparedness) and tsunamis. The colour plates referred to in the book can be downloaded from the Teach Yourself online library or accessed through the Teach Yourself Library app.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis don't happen every day, so how can budding scientists study how they work? Through experiments, models, and demonstrations. This in-depth resource will teach readers how to build a seismograph to record a simulated earthquake, compare pressure waves and shear waves—the two types of ground shocks—using a Slinky, and replicate a tsunami's destructive effect on a &“coastline&” built in a bathtub. Authors Matthys Levy and Mario Salvadori even discuss issues of modern architecture and civil engineering: how science can be used to protect buildings and property in earthquake-prone areas. Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis answers a wide array of questions about these phenomena. Can animals &“predict&” earthquakes? How have various cultures explained the movement of the earth throughout history? What is the Richter scale, and what does it tell us about the strength of a quake? And most important, readers will learn how to earthquake-proof their homes, and how to protect themselves should they experience a tremor.
This book goes into great detail about the different layers of the Earth and how the shifting tectonic plates can cause natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In-depth information and stunning photographs reinforce the informative text.
This book provides an overview of the history of plate tectonics, including in-context definitions of the key terms. It explains how the forerunners of the theory and how scientists working at the key academic institutions competed and collaborated until the theory coalesced.
