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Exploring Earthquakes Table of Contents | Physical Geography Working Group | The Virtual Geography Department |
Introduction to the Research Problem
Earthquakes
One of the most frightening and destructive phenomena of nature is a severe earthquake and its after-effects. An earthquake is a sudden movement of the earth, caused by the abrupt release of strain that has accumulated over a long time. For hundreds of millions of years, the forces of plate tectonics have shaped the earth as the huge plates that form the earth's surface slowly move over, under, and past each other. Sometimes the movement is gradual. At other times, the plates are locked together, unable to release the accumulating energy. When the accumulated energy grows strong enough, the plates move in a sudden motion. This motion causes compression and lateral waves that move through rock. If the earthquake occurs in a densely-populated area, it may cause many deaths, injuries, and extensive property damage.
Today we are challenging the assumption that earthquakes must present an uncontrollable and unpredictable hazard to life and property. Scientists have begun to estimate the locations and likelihoods of future damaging earthquakes. Sites of greatest hazard are being identified, and definite progress is being made in designing structures that will withstand the effects of earthquakes.
How many earthquakes do you think are recorded each day in the world? Visit the USGS earthquake center to find out!
Geographic Information Systems
A Geographic Information System is a set of hardware, software, data, and a "thinking explorer"
to analyze data about the real world and make decisions about it.
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Last modified: 09:45:41 Mon 25 Jun 2001