G 148 Geologic Hazards

Students learn the science, processes, causes and effects of geologic hazards, analyze the energy of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and meteorite impacts, the forces of landslides floods, and coastal erosion, the recurrence of these hazards, and study examples of local and global events. Lab included.

Credits

4

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Describe various geologic hazards and the science underlying them
2. Define a geologic hazard and be able to determine potential danger, damage and human impact the hazard causes
3. Calculate earthquake magnitude, energy released by earthquakes, energy released by volcanic eruptions, speed of a tsunami, energy of a meteorite/bolide impact and recurrence interval of various hazards and explain and analyze the significance of these calculations
4. Explain and evaluate efforts to mitigate geologic hazards
5. Analyze and explain hazards maps and determine which areas are susceptible to specific hazards and where people are at greatest risk from these hazards
6. Explain the causes and consequences including human and social impacts of the following natural hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, floods, mass movements and landslides, coastal erosion and meteorite/bolide impacts
7. Critique and evaluate media reports concerning geologic hazards
8. Describe and evaluate specific recent and/or historical geologic disasters, explaining the geologic causes and physical and social consequences of the events