DREW M

Investigating Earthquakes with ArcExplorer GIS

Part 3:

Question #1:What do you notice about the distribution of these earthquakes?

Answer:Most of these earthquakes follow the pattern of the tectonic plate boundaries almost exactly.

Question #2:How does the distribution of these earthquakes compare to the others?Answer:There are many more big earthquakes in areas where the tectonic plates are colliding, such as the ring of fire.

Part 3 Continued:

Question #3:What type of plate boundary is associated with earthquakes that have a magnitude of 7.0 or greater?

Answer:Convergent Plate Boundaries

Question #4:What percentage of big earthquakes occur within 100 miles of a convergent plate boundary?

Answer:47% of earthquakes

Question #5:What percentage of big earthquakes occur within 200 miles of a convergent plate boundary?

Answer:71% of earthquakes

Part 4:

Top 10 List of Places Overdue for an Earthquake(Not in order):1. The Area around Crete, because it is on a convergent boundary.2. The California Coast, because it is on a fault line3. The Stan Countries (Afghanistan, etc.) because they are on a convergent boundary.4. Malaysia, because it is on a convergent boundary, and has had many past earthquakes.5. Spain and Portugal, because they have had many past earthquakes.6. New Guinea, because it is on 2 convergent boundaries.7. East Upper Russia, because there is a fault line right through it.8. New Zealand, because it has had many past earthquakes.9. Area Around Thailand because it has had many past earthquakes10. Latin America because it is on a convergent boundary and has had many past earthquakes.

Question #2:What new tools or techniques are seismologists using to help them better predict earthquakes?

Answer:They are using satellites, and searching for infrared radiation, as well as detecting magnetic signals by satellite.

Place that will have the next big earthquake:The Area Around Crete, because it is on a convergent boundary.

Part 4 Continued:

Question #2:What have you learned about earthquakes and earthquake prediction?

Question #3:What factors influence earthquake prediction?

Question #4:Where on Earth do most of the really big earthquakes strike?

Answer:Most of the really big earthquakes strike on Tectonic Plate Boundaries, but mostly on Convergent Type Boundaries.

Answer:The factors that influence earthquake prediction are:• The time since the last earthquake• The location of prediction• If on a boundary, the boundary type• Amount of previous earthquakes on location (annually or otherwise).

Answer: I have learned:About Earthquakes:• They follow plate boundaries• Most big earthquakes happen on Convergent Plate BoundariesAbout Earthquake Prediction:• Seismologists use satellites to measure infrared radiation and magnetic signals.• Earthquakes can be predicted by looking at past earthquakes•Earthquakes can be predicted with relative ease