Lecture_1_GLY_125_Intro

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Instructor Introduction

    • Peter Haparoff, professor at UNCW, specializing in plate tectonics, active faulting, mountain building, and rifting.

    • Email: haparovp@uncw.edu, responds quickly to inquiries.

    • Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 to 10 AM, or by appointment at Deloche Hall, Room 106.

  • Course Format

    • Asynchronous online course with live Zoom lectures three times a week:

      • Mondays at 10 AM

      • Wednesdays at 11 AM

      • Fridays at 10 AM

    • Lectures will be recorded and available on Canvas for later viewing.

    • Class size: traditional lectures up to 200-300 students in previous years.

    • Class materials, extra credit, assignments, and exams accessible in Canvas.

  • Textbook and Resource Recommendations

    • No required textbook; many resources available online (e.g., Wikipedia).

    • Suggested textbook: "Natural Hazards, Earth Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes" by Keller and De Vecchio, 4th edition, 2014.

  • Current Events in Natural Disasters

    • Overview of natural disasters affecting the US in 2024; notable events include:

      • Financial Impact: 27 weather and climate disasters with over $1 billion in damages, resulting in nearly $200 billion in total cost and 568 fatalities.

      • Wildfires: Wildfires in Southern California driven by Santa Ana winds, causing significant destruction, including 10,000 buildings burned and a total economic cost projected at $150 billion.

      • Major Earthquake in China: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Tibet leading to 126 fatalities.

      • Impact of Hurricane Helene: Affected the eastern US, causing approximately $60 billion in damage in North Carolina alone.

Chapter 2: Major Earthquake

  • California Wildfires

    • Santa Ana winds lead to fire outbreaks in areas like Pacific Palisades and Altadena, with significant building losses and fatalities.

    • Extreme fire spread rates reported at over 5 football fields per minute.

  • Recent Earthquake Events

    • Earthquake of magnitude 7.1 in Southern Tibet, affecting a sparsely populated area with potential casualties still being tallied.

Chapter 3: Active Tectonic Plate Boundary

  • Disaster Movies vs. Reality

    • Movies like San Andreas exaggerate disaster scale; real-life disasters are less predictable yet more impactful.

  • US Natural Disaster Types

    • Varieties include earthquakes (particularly on the West Coast), tornadoes (central US), hurricanes (East Coast), and volcanic hazards (e.g., Mount St. Helens).

  • Countries with Most Disasters

    • China and the US significantly impacted between 2005-2014; Hurricane Katrina highlighted as a major contributor to US disaster costs.

    • Countries located on active tectonic plate boundaries experience more geological crises.

Chapter 4: The Hollywood Fault

  • Fatalities from Disasters

    • Comparison of death tolls from automobile accidents vs. individual disasters (e.g., 2004 tsunami in Indonesia).

    • Discussion of the societal and environmental impacts of disasters such as the 2018 Paradise Fire in California.

Chapter 5: Right Lateral Fault

  • Geology Overview

    • Research on the Elsinore and San Jacinto faults in Southern California, with key features and geological significance highlighted.

    • Discussion of strike-slip faults and their implications for earthquake dynamics.

Chapter 6: Big Natural Disaster Events

  • Course Schedule

    • Covering topics such as plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanism, tsunamis, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires from January to May.

    • Emphasis on interrelated disaster types and anthropogenic influences.

Chapter 7: Conclusion

  • Grading Structure

    • Three exams and six homework assignments, with a non-cumulative format for examinations.

    • Extra credit opportunities tied to course materials and contemporary media.

    • Encouragement for students to pause or rewind lecture recordings as needed for comprehending material.

  • Accommodations

    • Students advised to communicate any needs for rescheduling due dates or assignments well in advance.

    • Final reminder of next live lecture time.