Tectonic Plates - Natural History Museum of Utah

Tectonic Plates

Plate Movement

Seismic WavesP-wave (primary wave)- Fastest, can move through rocks and fluid

S-wave (secondary waves)- slower than p-wave, can only move through rock

Surface waves- move through the crust, almost entirely responsible for damage

Endsley, K. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2017, from http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/waves.html

Utah Fault Lines

Recent Utah Earthquakes

Map of the epicenters of 6,846 earthquakes occurring in Utah from 1982 and 2016. Those depicted in red were naturally caused tectonic plates, whereas coal mining caused those in blue.Credit: Keith Koper.

• Bennett, S. (2016, December 21). New study differentiates between Utah's natural and induced earthquakes. Retrieved October 10, 2017, from http://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2016/12/21/new-study-differentiates-utahs-naturally-occurring-mining-induced-earthquakes/

• U of U Seismograph Stations. (n.d.). Utah's Earthquake Threat. Retrieved October 10, 2017, from http://quake.utah.edu/outreach-education/utahs-earthquake-threat

International Earthquakes

7.1 magnitude EarthquakeMexico City, Mexico September 19, 2017Redder areas indicate stronger shaking

• White, D. W. (2017, September 22). Mexico City Was Built on an Ancient Lake Bed. That Makes Earthquakes Much Worse. Retrieved October 10, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/09/22/world/americas/mexico-city-earthquake-lake-bed-geology.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=g-graphic g-graphic-freebird&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

• Bell, C., & Rannard, G. (2017, September 20). 'Strength to Mexico' in deadly earthquake aftermath. Retrieved October 10, 2017, from http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-41331832

International Earthquakes

Port Au Prince, Haiti January 12, 2010Magnitude 7.0