Using Seismic Eruption to Explore Earthquakes

Name _________________________

Period _______

To Start Program:

1. Double click on the Earth Science Group.

2. Double click on the Seismic Eruption Icon.

3. Most menu options are self explanatory, so when you need to do something look for the options under the various pull down menus.

Investigations: Pacific Ocean View

You Need:

- a global plate tectonic map

-knowledge about the symbols for the 3 types plate boundaries.

-knowledge on the geographic names of certain plate boundaries.

1. From the main global view, select the Pacific Ocean view.

2. Let the program run. De-select "volcanoes" to simplify the map.

3. Use a tectonic map to correlate the earthquake patterns to a specific plate boundary.

4. By observing this view and others (Make Your Own Map under Options) fill in the table below.

Plate Boundary

Type of Boundary

General Characteristic of Quakes (size, depth, other noticeable characteristics)

East Pacific Rise

 

 

 

Peru Chili Trench

 

 

 

Marianas Trench

 

 

 

San Andrea’s Fault

 

 

 

 

Aleutian Subduction Zone:

1. Click on the Alaska 1964 view (find in North America/Alaska group). This will show the 2nd largest earthquake in the 20th century. How is this earthquake pattern similar to other convergent plate boundaries?

 

2. Click on the Cook Inlet view. What can you see in the earthquake pattern that supports the hypothesis that this earthquake population was generated by a subduction zone? (For extra clarification click on Cook Inlet, 3D)

 

Investigations: U. S. Pacific Northwest view. (You will create a well written paragraph that summarizes your discoveries in this section)

Part 1: Using Seismic Eruption

  1. Allow the U.S. Pacific Northwest view to run. What time range does this view cover? _____________________
  2. Where are some earthquakes clusters? ______________________________________
  3. When and where did the largest earthquakes occur? __________________________

5. Return to the Pacific Ocean view and Make Your Own Map of the west coast of North America that includes all of the Juan de Fuca Plate and San Andrea’s Fault.

A. Notice that you can effect the color assignments for depth by adjusting the Magnitude/Depth Scale under the Earthquake menu. Select a range that gives you a wide spread of colors.

B. Notice you can impose plate boundaries by selecting Plates under the Map menu

6. Where are some earthquakes clusters? ______________________________________

7. When and where did the largest earthquakes occur? __________________________

Part 2: Using Portrait USA

  1. Zoom in on the Puget Sound Region. Be sure to include an area farther south than Olympia Washington, and as far north as the Canadian border.
  2. Select Earthquakes and apply the all earthquakes between magnitude 6.0 and 9.0. Make them Red.
  3. With the Pick a Point tool select all the earthquakes by drawing a box around them with a mouse. This will make a table of information. List the largest 5 earthquakes.

    4. Location

    Size

    Depth

    Date

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
  4. Again, using the Earthquake Menu add the following sets of earthquakes, distinguished with different colors.

5.0-6.0

Orange

4.0-5.0

Blue

3.0-4.0

Black

2.0-3.0

yellow

5. In a well written paragraph, on a separate piece of paper, describe the seismic history of the Pacific Northwest. Use observations from these computer generated views.