Investigating Earthquakes
WSE 187, Spring, 2002
Earth Science Educational Resource Center

Instructor

• Glenn Richard [Glenn.Richard@sunysb.edu]

Goals

• Our goal for this workshop, will be to explore the following two questions:
• What geological, geographic and social factors determine the degree and nature of the effects of earthquakes on human societies?
• What specific actions can we take to minimize the adverse effects that earthquakes have on human societies?
• As a mechanism for addressing these questions, we will develop a plan for a hypothetical "International Earthquake Relief Organization", headquartered in the Mineral Physics Institute at the Stony Brook University.  The mission of this organization will be to mitigate the harmful effects of seismic events.  Its strategy will be to develop:
• Education programs about the geology of earthquakes
• Programs for improving the design of buildings
• Evacuation plans
• Proposed locations for branch offices
• Plans for coping with the various types of damage that occur
• Plans for bringing in food and supplies
• A strategy for locating the epicenters of events as quickly as possible after they occur
• Priorities, targeting areas most likely to be affected by seismic events
• In order to develop this plan, we will need to learn as much as possible about the geology of earthquakes anf the effects they have on human society.
• The plan report will be a PowerPoint presentation.

Schedule

• Tuesday, April 9, 2002
• Introduction
• Seismometer Tour
• High Pressure Laboratory Tour
• Digital Seismometer Demonstration

• Thursday, April 11, 2002
• Distribution of Earthquakes: Seismic Eruptions Program
• Tuesday, April 16, 2002
• Mercalli Instensity Scale Activity
• Form planning Committees
• Hazard committee - where earthquakes occur and what are their direct and indirect effects
• Preparedness committee - how to construct buildings, what infrastucture is needed to cope with emergencies, where to site branch offices
• Response committee - plan for quick response to events, including evacuations, bringing in food, medical supplies and personnel
• Committees perform preliminary planning of the "International Earthquake Relief Organization"

• Thursday, April 18, 2002
• Stick Slip Experiment
• Wave Motion Applets
• Primary waves
• Secondary waves
• Rayleigh waves
• Seismic Waves Interactive Program
• International Earthquake Relief Organization Planning Session
• Tuesday, April 23, 2002
• International Earthquake Relief Organization Planning Session
• Thursday, April 25, 2002
• International Earthquake Relief Organization Planning Session
• Finalize report
• Final Report - Powerpoint Presentations
  • Hazard Committee
  • Preparedness Committee
  • Response Committee

Last Modified April 25, 2002