GEOL A333 — Earthquakes and Seismic Hazards 3 Credits
Examines the geology of earthquake-prone regions in all tectonic settings and the impact that earthquakes have on society in terms of hazard assessment and preparation. Addresses fundamental reasons for failure along a fault surface in order to explain when, where and why earthquakes occur. Examines seismic waves, how they are measured, and the information they contain regarding the style of faulting that produced the earthquake. Also considers the study of ancient earthquakes, or paleoseismology, and its usefulness in predicting future earthquakes. Introduces deterministic and probabilistic methods of assessing the seismic hazard in active fault environments for enhanced earthquake preparation in high risk locations.