Earthquake as the Natural Phenomena - Essay Example

?Introduction:- Earthquake is the natural phenomena that cause a lot of destruction depending on the magnitude and duration of the earthquake. It brings the infrastructure down to ground, causes high death toll within a fraction of seconds, causes high economic losses, population relocation and so on, even a human and environmental catastrophe in certain cases. It begins with the shaking of ground as the earth tectonic plate’s slides past each other because of enormous pressure and sheer forces in the plates. There are different kinds of movement of these plates and hence different intensities of earthquake and different movements. For these earthquakes prediction and monitoring, lots of works are being done and lots more are in progress. These include a wide range of technologies such as seismographs, accelerometers and satellite imagery. All provides information having vital importance depending on area and costs. The upcoming technologies are thought to have more significant features that hopefully are able to predict the earthquakes with more accuracy and vivid predictions that will help to mitigate the population even before the earthquake would have occurred. Earthquakes are occurred by the movement of ground due to insufficient stress and strain in the earth’s tectonic plates. It could cause devastating effect when it magnitudes are high and the duration of the earthquake is also high. The death toll could increase to thousands within seconds after the earthquake of high intensity has occurred. The devastating effect also depends on the quality of the infrastructure and more importantly the preparedness for the disaster. In most cases, because of the rapid ground shaking without any warnings and early signs usually there is a lot of destruction because it is not easy to predict when the earthquake will occur. According to the EAS, The effect of earthquake includes landslides, shaking, tsunamis and liquefaction (EAS, 2011). Most of the death toll is due to the collapse of the infrastructure whereas other reasons also exist. The post traumatic stress disorder is also a reason for the death toll to rise even after the earthquake. Here are some pictures of earthquake destruction as follows There are different methods by which the earthquakes are determined. These methods includes the use of different wavelengths for predicting the change in the structures of the rock, the light that is reflected from the minerals present in the rocks and also the use of graphs that monitors different waves that are caused because of the movement of the tectonic plates. The different methods that are used are stated below that either monitor is used to predict the future earthquakes that are likely to happen. Space borne sensors:- The space borne sensors are used in many different fields and the one important filed is used to predict the earthquakes and study the behavior of rocks that are altered after the earthquakes. The land Sat satellite is used in different field that includes the field of the geologist. It travels in different directions and with the help of the earth’s revolving around the axis, with the help of electromagnetic waves it takes the snaps and are compared with previous data and experts by making calculations can predict where might the next earthquake could occur. The diagram below shows its behavior of working. With the help of geologic maps that are taken from the satellites, the seismologists evaluate the seismic activity and it helps them to predict the earthquake, though not utmost success but still helps to widen the knowledge. According to NASA the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck and these images were found very helpful in determining the earthquake destruction (NASA, 2007). Boeing Constant WC-135 Phoenix: - It is a military aircraft that is used by The United stated for determining the nuclear and seismic activity on the ground and it is found to be very helpful in determining the situations. In certain cases because of the nuclear activity is altered due to earthquakes because of high pressure created in rocks as well as volcanic activity, so it is found to be very helpful in collecting information of the ground activity. It also can use the accelerometer in the plane for seismic activity determination. The image of the plane is taken from Wikipedia:- Accelerometer: - Accelerometer is used for wide range of subjects ranging from not only engineering, geology to medical, biology, structure monitoring and industry but it is used for determining the earthquakes and aftershocks. The accelerometer is a small device that is used to measure the proper acceleration. Weight per unit test mass is measured with the help of the accelerometer. However there are limitations sometimes because of a specific range in which the accelerometers can respond, yet it is a good technique by which it can predict the seismic change in the earth’s surface. According to answers, the acceleration that it measures is what people feels and it is acceleration measured relative to free fall (answers, 2011). The known model of gravity is also determined by the local gravity determination. It could be carried on a plane easily or also the new technology indicated it usage even in the laptops for determining the earthquakes. Physical principles:- G force Equivalence principle. Local inertial frame Terminal velocity. Structure:- Damp mass and spring. Piezoelectric components. Quantum tunneling. The combined seismograph and accelerograph is shown in the figure:- Undersea earthquake forecast:- According to lives science, it is getting easier to predict the earthquake under ocean floor that could cause the tsunamis (Live science, 2011). The device could be carried with the help of medium sized boat having all the necessary equipments and hardware along with the device that is to be introduced to the ocean. It is useful for measuring the shocks in the ocean beds seconds before the earthquake even minutes before the earthquake. TwinSat Satellite: - It is a combination of twin satellites that are cost effective as well as equipped. It is the combined project of Russians and Europeans scientists that is to be launched in the year 2015. According to web concepts, the small pair of twin satellites aims to predict the future earthquakes (web concepts, 2011). The project is most likely to change the course of history regarding the predictions of the earthquake. Conclusion:- Earthquakes are devastating, sometimes catastrophic and beyond the aid of a country where it occurs. As the time is proceeding and the technology is improving, better technologies are improving the way the disaster is mitigated and in the upcoming future, there is a possibility that the technology will deliver the new enlighten era that will help the scientists to improve the prediction and monitoring for the earthquakes that are most likely to happen in the future. References:- Esands (2009) Using Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers for earthquake Monitoring. (Date not known). Available at: http://www.aees.org.au/Articles/Pascale_MEMS.pdf Live Science (2005) Article. 29 March, 2005. Available at: http://www.livescience.com/6935- method-promises-earthquake-prediction.html Web Concepts (2010) Post. 23 February, 2011. Available at: http://www.searchthenetnow.com/tag/twinsat/ Independent (2011) News. 11 February, 2011. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/satellite-project-to-predict-earthquakes-will- help-save-lives-2219299.html NASA (2011) Aster. 09 July, 2004. Available at: http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/ Answers (2011) Accelerometer. (Date not known). Available at: http://www.answers.com/topic/accelerometer NASA (2007) News. 30 November, 2007. Available at: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/indonesia_quake.html Katerva (2011). Predicting earthquake with satellites. 13 May, 2011. Available at: http://katerva.org/nominees/predicting-earthquakes-with-satellites/ Read More