- Earthquakes and Volcanoes: the Hazards of Plate Tectonics

Catalog description

An introduction to the science behind the geologic hazards that result directly from plate tectonic processes: earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Students will learn the fundamentals of plate tectonic theory and will gain an understanding of the processes responsible for earthquake generation and volcanic eruptions, the settings within which these hazards occur, and secondary hazards that result from earthquakes and volcanoes, such as tsunamis and landslides. Students will also learn how to identify evidence for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the ancient geologic record. Laboratory work, problem sets, and field trips will explore the insights and quantitative information that earthquakes and volcanoes provide about the structure, chemical evolution, and processes of the Earth; the preservation of these hazards in the geologic record; and their interactions with the atmosphere, biosphere, and human society.