NO PREP Natural Disasters Research Project | Research | Science Project |

Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. Emphasis is on how some natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather, are preceded by phenomena that allow for reliable predictions, but others, such as earthquakes, occur suddenly and with no notice, and thus are not yet predictable. Examples of natural hazards can be taken from interior processes (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), surface processes (such as mass wasting and tsunamis), or severe weather events (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods). Examples of data can include the locations, magnitudes, and frequencies of the natural hazards. Examples of technologies can be global (such as satellite systems to monitor hurricanes or forest fires) or local (such as building basements in tornado-prone regions or reservoirs to mitigate droughts).

Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard. Examples of design solutions to weather-related hazards could include barriers to prevent flooding, wind resistant roofs, and lighting rods.

Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans. Examples of solutions could include designing an earthquake resistant building and improving monitoring of volcanic activity. Assessment is limited to earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.