1/31/17. Human Response to Natural Hazards. Human Response to Natural Hazards. Announcements. Recent natural disasters???

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1 Human Response to Natural Hazards 2. Anticipatory Response - pre-hazard response. Think of at least 3 ways society can prepare. Compare your ideas with your neighbors. Our quick list- just a few of many suggestions. Store food, insurance, educate, prepare shelters, avoid building certain places, evacuation plans, prepare buildings Human Response to Natural Hazards 2. Anticipatory Response - pre-hazard response. a. Land-use planning - map hazardous areas, zoning laws to avoid developing hazardous areas b. Improve building codes - < damage from earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes c. Insurance - require those living in hazardous areas to have insurance against hazard d. Disaster preparation - Earthquake/tornado drills e. Artificial control - build higher levees, can be danger f. Evacuation - if forecast allows enough time Areas with well-developed anticipatory + reactive responses are less affected by natural disasters Announcements NO CLASS FRIDAY (evening exam later in semester) LAS Success Workshops Register your i>clicker in Compass Hazard City Registation (do it by Feb. 5 th ) Recent natural disasters??? Tornados- MS and GA Earthquake 7.9 and tsunami warning (Papua New Guinea) Indonesia taking steps to deal with volcanoes Online exercise #1 starts Monday (in Compass). Indonesia Fights Volcanic Risk to Air Travel Costly blasts spark overhauls, including new satellites, to better address ash s threat to planes By SARA SCHONHARDT Jan. 22, :00 a.m. ET BALI Indonesia is taking steps to curb disruptions to air travel after a series of volcanic eruptions near popular tourist destinations sparked havoc in this fast-growing air travel market. Volcanic eruptions in 2015 shut airports in parts of Indonesia s vast archipelago, stranding tens of thousands of passengers, forcing the postponement of an international family-planning conference and costing local industry tens of millions of dollars. More general background before we dive into specific disasters The events jolted a country that sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, with among the world s highest number of active volcanoes, 139, and its most life-threatening ones due to their numbers, power and proximity to people. These factors make Indonesia highly prone to air-travel disturbances. But with limited monitoring resources, the country has long prioritized protecting people over planes. 1

2 Population Growth (anthropogenic hazard) - Continuously increasing number of people on our planet is THE number one environmental problem. Why? Population Growth - Environmental problems As population increases: Needs increase (food, clean water, energy, rock/minerals), depletes non-renewable resources (our use exceeds nature s production), greater environmental impact (pollution, global warming, ozone hole, acid rain); links for Dramatic pictures of overpopulation and overconsumption, Stark photos involving resource extraction Population Growth - Environmental problems As population increases: Greater impact of natural disasters (more death and destruction) Number of Natural Disasters ( ) Damage from Natural Disasters ( ) Population Growth - Current rate of population growth is exponential, therefore annual growth rate is ~constant percentage of population, not constant number of people So, a greater number of people is added to world each year Population Growth - Annual rate of world population growth is ~1.1%, still have exponential curve Population Growth - With 1.1% growth, still have exponential curve 2

3 Population Growth - Recent Trends Population Growth - Growth is occurring (and will occur) mainly in underdeveloped parts of world (India, Asia, and Africa) Population Growth - Annual population increase is starting to drop Population Growth - Annual population increase is dropping due to decreasing % growth rate Eventually Earth will reach its carrying capacity (maximum number of people it can support due to finite resources), things will get worse as we reach Earth s carrying capacity Earth s Carrying Capacity Example of Easter Island - Southeast Pacific Ocean, inhabited 1,500 years ago by Polynesian islanders. Rich culture flourished (famous large carved statues) Moai 3

4 Earth s Carrying Capacity - Easter Island Population soared to 7,000 around 1400 AD before declining due to poverty by 1722 when first Europeans arrived. Island reached carrying capacity by stripping timber; culture collapsed, cannibalism, tribal warfare, subsistence farming, cave dwellers Earliest known painting of Easter Island (1775) Today s i>clicker question #1 What is the current population of the earth and what is the estimated maximum going to be? A. Current = 4 Billion, Max = > 7 Billion B. Current = 7 Billion, Max = > 9 Billion C. Current = 7 Billion, Max = > 19 Billion D. Current = 2 Billion, Max = > 9 Billion Today s i>clicker question #1 What is the current population of the earth and what is the estimated maximum going to be? A. Current = 4 Billion, Max = > 7 Billion B. Current = 7 Billion, Max = > 9 Billion C. Current = 7 Billion, Max = > 19 Billion D. Current = 2 Billion, Max = > 9 Billion Today s i>clicker question #2 Which of the following best describes population growth now and in the future? A. Population is increasing out of control and there is no end in sight. B. Population growth is slowing and the planet s population will likely stop increasing within several decades C. Population growth is slowing and is about to becomes zero in a few years D. Population is declining Today s i>clicker question #2 Which of the following best describes population growth now and in the future? A. Population is increasing out of control and there is no end in sight. B. Population growth is slowing and the planet s population will likely stop increasing within several decades C. Population growth is slowing and is about to becomes zero in a few years D. Population is declining Earth s Carrying Capacity? Current age of mass extinction; ~thousands of species go extinct every year What is Earth's carrying capacity? Hard to determine exactly, perhaps between current population (7.27 billion) and ~9.3 billion population projected for

5 Solution to Population Crisis? Zero population growth (death rate balances birth rate) Religious, political, cultural roadblocks Planet Earth Owner s Manual, Chapter 14: What to do when disaster strikes. Intro Natural Disasters III - Energy on Earth All processes on Earth require energy, comes from many sources. Natural disasters occur when there is sudden release of energy near Earth's surface Energy for natural disasters: External sources (Sun, meteorite impacts) Internal sources (radioactive decay, gravity) How does this thing work? Intro Natural Disasters III - Energy on Earth Sun's energy and Earth's gravity drive all weather, floods, landslides, sinkholes, and waves/coastal erosion Intro Natural Disasters III - Energy on Earth Earth's internal heat and gravity drives tectonic plate motion (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mountain uplift/landslide) 5

6 Intro Natural Disasters III - External Energy 1) Energy from Sun - radiant (light) energy, 99.98% of energy received by Earth; ~30% reflected into space by atmosphere, oceans; ~50% absorbed (by water, Earth), converted to heat (driving circulation in atmosphere, oceans), eventually escapes back into space; 23% evaporates water, begins hydrologic (water) cycle. Tiny amount absorbed/stored in plants. Intro Natural Disasters III - External Energy 2) Meteorite impact energy - meteorites have enormous kinetic energy (fast-moving, can be very large), transferred to Earth during impact; impact generates very high temperatures (10,000 C or more) and pressures (> million atmospheres); meteorite collisions much more common during early history of Earth (generated lots of heat, which is still escaping from Earth's interior) Intro Natural Disasters III - Internal Energy Geothermal energy = tiny amount of energy to Earth's surface (~0.02%): 1) Radioactive Decay - Unstable/radioactive isotopes (U, Th, K) change to stable form radioactive decay, releases energy, heats rock in Earth's interior, heat slowly moves to Earth's surface 2) Gravity - All objects at Earth's surface (rain, snow, earth in landslide) are pulled toward Earth's center by gravity. Some internal energy caused by gravitational compaction of Earth's interior. Earth s systems: atmosphere, hydrosphere (water), lithosphere (rock, soil), biosphere (living organisms); Interact with each other exchanging both matter and energy on cyclical basis; geologic cycles important to natural disasters Hydrologic Cycle: movement of water through reservoirs (where water resides): oceans, atmosphere (clouds), glaciers, lakes and streams, groundwater, biosphere. Ocean is largest reservoir. Main pathway water moves is atmosphere. Solar energy causes evaporation and atmospheric circulation; gravity causes water to flow back to oceans (precipitation and river, glacial, groundwater flow). Chemical Cycle: Movement and reservoirs of specific elements, e.g., carbon = carbon cycle (N, P, O, S, others); 4 major reservoirs in carbon cycle = biosphere (building block of life), lithosphere (in carbonate minerals, rocks, fossil fuels, coal, oil), hydrosphere/oceans (dissolved ions), atmosphere (carbon dioxide, CO 2, gas). 6

7 Rock Cycle: Cycling of elements among igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic rocks; mostly involves lithosphere (also hydrologic, chemical cycles). Geologic processes convert one rock to another. Energy near surface = solar energy and gravity (erosion, weathering); energy subsurface processes = geothermal energy and gravity (control uplift, burial, melting, metamorphism) Today s i>clicker question #3 Where does all the energy for natural disasters ultimately come from? A. The sun s rays coming into the earth system B. Radioactive decay within the planet. C. Gravitational energy D. All of the above Today s i>clicker question #3 Where does all the energy for natural disasters ultimately come from? A. The sun s rays coming into the earth system B. Radioactive decay within the planet. C. Gravitational energy D. All of the above No Class Friday 1/27 7