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:1. The Area around Crete2. The California Coast3. The Stan Countries (Afghanistan, etc.) 4. Malaysia5. Spain and Portugal 6. New Guinea7. East Upper Russia8. New Zealand 9. Area Around Thailand 10. Latin America

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

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