Earth Science-Question 2: Earthquakes and Tectonic Analysis

Question 2: Earthquakes and Tectonic AnalysisWhen you hear about or read in the media something on an earthquake or volcanic eruption happening somewhere – if you know the tectonic setting you should be able to make a good educated guess as to what is going on!For an earthquake, if you know the tectonic situation there, you should be able to deduce things like:* the type of fault that likely failed* what the likely depth range of earthquake focus was* what the likely magnitude range was (i.e. how big could it potentially have been)* what the likely damage was (depth/magnitude/location all contribute to the amount of shaking possible and whether some of the main earthquake hazards could be involved, such as tsunamis etc.)The pdf files provide that general information for the different, general types of plate boundaries. In the following, you will be given a location – perhaps not even a specific earthquake. And, you’ll be given some specific questions (similar to the ones above) about earthquakes that occur in that location. It’s up to you to deduce the tectonics of the area and, on the basis of that choice, answer the questions related to the range of possibilities for an earthquake in that region.Make sure you explain your answers (e.g. don’t just say what the possible range of magnitudes would be, explain why…).After a long, grueling semester, you decide to head to the southern hemisphere to relax and do some hiking. Throwing a dart at the map, it lands near Valparaiso, Chile . So, that’s where you go! Worn out from learning to make animatronic sandcastles, you are lying on the beach and you feel an earthquake. Not too big, but it knocks your friend’s Pisco cocktail drink over in the sand. Since you are an expert on these things, your friends want you to explain to them what is going on!(1) What kind of fault motion most likely happened (thrust, normal, strike-slip)? Explain why (relate it to the tectonic setting – you’ll have to deduce what is going on by looking at the pdf/textbook maps of plate motions/speeds, or even do some snooping on the web).(2) What is the range of depths that the quake could have occurred at? [The range of depths is controlled by what you chose for the tectonic setting.] Explain why that range of focal depths is possible.(3) You don’t really know how far away the earthquake epicenter was, so it is difficult for you to know how big the earthquake really was. For that tectonic setting, how big do you think it could have possibly been (maximum amplitude)? Explain why.(4) Should you be moving to higher ground? [In other words, is a tsunami possible?]Resources: pdf files, textbook, USGS earthquakes webpage, IRIS earthquakes website and maps of plate boundaries. There are maps of plate boundaries in the pdf files and textbook. And lots on the web.