Plate tectonics, earthquakes & tsunamis

Ken HudnutKen HudnutU. S. Geological SurveyU. S. Geological Survey

GATE GeologyParadise Canyon Elementary SchoolLa Canada, California 9 March 2005

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Plate tectonics, earthquakesPlate tectonics, earthquakesand tsunamisand tsunamis• Part 1Part 1 - plate tectonics - plate tectonics

• Part 2Part 2 - earthquakes - earthquakes

• Part 3Part 3 - tsunamis - tsunamis

• Part 4Part 4 - California - California hazards & help to design hazards & help to design a better tsunami alert a better tsunami alert systemsystem

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Earthquakes & PeopleEarthquakes & People

Earthquakessometimes hitbig cities

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If you If you feel anfeel anearth-earth-quake,quake,get toget tohighhighground!ground!

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HMS ScottHMS ScottHMS SCOTTHMS SCOTT

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Large bedformsLarge bedforms

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NOAA buoyNOAA buoy

SystemSystem

DARTDART

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Does So. California have a Does So. California have a tsunami hazard and risk?tsunami hazard and risk?• Yes!Yes!

• Damage in the 1964 Alaska tsunami at LA/Long BeachDamage in the 1964 Alaska tsunami at LA/Long Beach• 1812 Santa Barbara earthquake had a 50-foot high 1812 Santa Barbara earthquake had a 50-foot high

tsunami at Gaviotatsunami at Gaviota

• EarthquakesEarthquakes

• Offshore slumpingOffshore slumping

• Harbors would have only a 10 to 30 minute warning Harbors would have only a 10 to 30 minute warning time possibletime possible

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Can we design a better tsunami alert system?Can we design a better tsunami alert system?

Reduce false alarmsReduce false alarms don’t cause panic; educate people on how to reactdon’t cause panic; educate people on how to react

Warn everybody - needs to be in the right Warn everybody - needs to be in the right languagelanguage BroadcastBroadcast

RadioRadio TVTV Satellite telecommunicationSatellite telecommunication Cell phoneCell phone GPSGPS

Sirens or Loudspeakers? One can trigger the next so as to propagate the Sirens or Loudspeakers? One can trigger the next so as to propagate the alarm rapidly (not backwards, don’t want to jam comm’s with a back-alarm rapidly (not backwards, don’t want to jam comm’s with a back-propagating notification)propagating notification)

Buoy system can directly notify and propagate alert signal through satellite Buoy system can directly notify and propagate alert signal through satellite and all other telecomm links immediately and all other telecomm links immediately

Airplane, blimp or helicopter with loudspeakers or sign towed behind it?Airplane, blimp or helicopter with loudspeakers or sign towed behind it?

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Can we design a better tsunami evacuation, safety and Can we design a better tsunami evacuation, safety and survival system? (some of the solutions need to work even for survival system? (some of the solutions need to work even for very low-lying islands and other coastal plain areas)very low-lying islands and other coastal plain areas)

Underground bunker (waterproof hatches like a submarine)Underground bunker (waterproof hatches like a submarine) Strong tall buildings with extra capacity stairwells for people to Strong tall buildings with extra capacity stairwells for people to

run up very quickly to higher levels where it’s safe, and lots of run up very quickly to higher levels where it’s safe, and lots of emergency supplies, water and food stored up highemergency supplies, water and food stored up high Could have a big red flashing light and siren on topCould have a big red flashing light and siren on top

Boats with large capacity that can launch quickly and get out Boats with large capacity that can launch quickly and get out into deep water very fastinto deep water very fast

Airplanes with large capacity that can get airborne quicklyAirplanes with large capacity that can get airborne quickly Helicopters with tremendous lifting capacity so that they can Helicopters with tremendous lifting capacity so that they can

sling-load many people to safe high ground, load after loadsling-load many people to safe high ground, load after load Special roads heading straight to high ground, which could have Special roads heading straight to high ground, which could have

special high-capacity cars to move quickly and make many trips special high-capacity cars to move quickly and make many trips back and forth to shuttle many peopleback and forth to shuttle many people