Critical Earth-Related Issues Facing the U.S.

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Critical Earth-Related Issues Facing the
U.S. (or, Why Teaching Earth Science Could Save
Your Life!)
Professor Michael Wysession Department of Earth
and Planetary Sciences Washington University, St.
Louis, MO
NSTA, Minnesota, October 30, 2009
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For a copy of the presentation, please email me
at michael_at_seismo.wustl.edu
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• Teaching Experience
• Middle School
• High School
• Undergraduate
• Graduate
• (Writing books with Pearson Prentice Hall since
  2002)

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Our innovative
write-in student edition
This is your book.
You can write in it.
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K-8 Textbooks are Problematic

• Artificial separation of Content and Inquiry
• Textbooks are quickly out of date
• The Science appears static all finished

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Text
12 write-in student editions
Interactive onlineenvironment
Hands-on Inquiry
Teachers Lab Resource material kits
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Earth Science Contains Many of the Most Critical
Issues Facing Humanity Today
Civilization Exists Through Geologic Consent
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Nine Big Ideas and 75 Supporting Concepts
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Nine Big Ideas and 75 Supporting Concepts
These shaped the Interactive Science Big Ideas
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Example The process of PLATE
TECTONICS creates many LARGE EARTHQUAKES
Pakistan EQ, 2005
Sichuan EQ, 2008
Sumatra EQ, 2004
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Indian Plate
Burma Microplate
Sumatra
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Sumatra-Andaman Dec 26, 2004 EQ Tsunami
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The last devastating tsunami in the Indian
Ocean? The Giant Volcanic Eruption of Krakatau in
1883.
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A similar tsunami from the 1630 BCE eruption of
Mt. Thera may have given rise to the legend of
Atlantis.
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So.could this happen in the U.S.?!?
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Massive landslides in places like the Canary
Islands could cause enormous Atlantic tsunamis.
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La Palma (Canary Islands)
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There have been Giant Undersea Landslides in the
Puerto Rico Trench.
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Classroom Activity Turn Your Computer Into a
Real Seismometer! For Mac laptops, go to
http//www.suitable.com/tools/seismac.html For
PC laptops and desktops, go to
http//qcn.stanford.edu/ For additional links,
including seismometer lesson plans
http//www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outr
each http//earthquake.usgs.gov/
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Sample of Real 3-Component Seismogram
Have students try to replicate an actual
seismogram!
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Sample of Real 3-Component Seismogram
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Sample 3-Component Seismac Seismogram
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Seismac Demonstration of components and units
Can also demonstrate decrease in amplitude with
distance (bang the table at different distances)
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Seismac Activities
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Seismac Activities
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The Stanford Quake-Catcher Network (QCN)
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Ordering the 5 USB plug-in 3-component
seismometer
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Downloading the QCNLive web program
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Downloading the software for the 5 USB-port
seismometer
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The QCNLive rotating globe of earthquakes
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The QCN seismometer screen
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Useful Links The USGS Educational Seismology page
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Useful Links The USGS Earthquake Hazards page
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Useful Links The IRIS Education and Outreach page
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Useful Links The IRIS Education and Outreach
page (cont.)
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Useful Links The IRIS Seismic Monitor
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Same geologic processes that cause giant
earthquakes also cause large volcanic eruptions
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Mt. St. Helens, Following the 1980 Eruption
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Mt. Mazama erupted in 4860 BC ? 42x larger
than Mt. St. Helens
Crater Lake, Oregon
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Critical Earth-Science Issue Resources
Each year gt 25,000 pounds (11.3 metric tons) of
new non-fuel minerals must be provided for each
person in the US. Non-fuel minerals 2.28
trillion of 14.3 trillion GDP (2008)
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Copper humans use 15 million metric tons each
year!! 1.6 billion tons geologically
available 100 years left ??
Ex/ Bingham copper mine in Utah
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Indium (liquid crystal displays in cell phones).
No substitute for this.
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Europium red phospor in color TVs and LCD
screens. No substitute, though prices gt
2000/kg
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Erbium used in all fiber-optic cables because
of unique optical properties. No substitute.
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Platinum diesel catalytic converters. No
substitute. Rhodium removing NOx emissions. No
substitute.
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Rare Earth elements like neodymium, samarium,
gadolinium, dysprosium, and praseodymium Used
for high-performance permanent magnets in
electronics, video games, military devices, disk
drives, DVDs. No substitutes. We import 100 of
these! (75 from China)
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U.S. Imports of Minerals (100 for many!)
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Critical Earth-Science Issue Human Impact
World Population 6,793,709,455 (US Census)
More than doubled during my lifetime. 6 of all
humans that have lived are alive
today. Sustainable level?
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Future Growth In Already Stressed Areas
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Humans - now the single largest geologic force.
US paved land is now the size of state of
Georgia. US developed land is now the size of the
state of California. 35 of Exposed Land used to
grow/raise food for humans.
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End of the Cenozoic Era (65 million years ago to
present). Start of the Anthropocene.
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Critical Earth-Science Issue Energy
Transitioning from Fossil sources to Renewable
sources. Need ALL sources in the short
term How quickly? How smoothly? How much
intervention?
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gt85 of energy sources are now Fossil Fuels
gt90 of energy sources are Non-Renewable
Energy Sources
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Total Rate of World Energy Use 18
Terawatts (Planet Earth cools off at rate of just
44 Terawatts!)
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• Total Power from the Sun at Earths Surface
  125,000 Terawatts!!
• 7000x Total Human Energy Use!!
• 1 Hour of Sunlight 1 Year of Human Energy Use!

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Increase in Solar Photovoltaic Power
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Tesla Roadster
Chevy Volt First 40 miles run off batteries.
Small engine extends distance if needed, at gt100
mpg Plugs into any 120-240VAC outlet
Currently Electric 0.01/mi Gas
0.10/mi
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Critical Earth-Science Issue Water
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For 1/6 worlds population No clean drinking
water Major US rivers dont make it to ocean
(Colorado, Rio Grande) UN Projection for 2050
For 2 - 7 billion humans chronic water shortages
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Projected Precipitation, 2080-2099 (Base years
1980-1990)
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Critical Earth-Science Issue Climate Change
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Global Carbon Dioxide Cycle
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Projected Temperatures, 2080-2090
(Base years 1980-1990)
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Related material is in Interactive Science!
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What drives the Ice Age cycles?
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Ice Ages Caused by Fluctuations in Earths Orbit
(Milankovich Cycles)
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Ellipticity variations Due to planetary orbits
(gravity)
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What about some of the narrow, sharp spikes?
72,000 years ago
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Toba Volcano 72,000 years ago ? 280,000 km3
ejected! ? 1 gigaton tnt explosion!
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Ash aerosols put into the atmosphere from
volcanic eruptions cause global temperatures to
drop
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Based on genetic diversity, it is estimated that
all modern humans evolved from only 1000-10,000
individuals following the Toba eruption.
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By 100,000 years ago, Homo Sapiens was emerging
as dominant hominid. Why?
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?? Selection for large brains during strong Ice
Ages that occurred 120,000-90,000 years ago??
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50,000-40,000 years ago there was a cultural
explosion in Europe. Why? Warming trend in
Europe. Life was easier?
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North American Mammoths evolved in Asia. How did
they get here 20,000 years ago?
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• 20,000 years ago was time of Ice Ages. Sea levels
  were low. Mammoths walked here.
• Native Americans followed 14,000 years ago!

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The beginnings of civilization didnt occur until
10,000 years ago. Why?
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The start of a warm and relatively stable climate
period!
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Many cultures have a myth similar to the story of
the expulsion from Eden. Why?
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Rising Sea Levels After the End of the Ice Age
forced many people from their homelands!!
Ancient Persian Gulf Shoreline
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Some Egyptian and Semitic peoples originated in
Eastern Europe. Why did they leave?
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The Black Sea flooded dramatically 5,600 BCE!
Most of these cultures have similar flood myths
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3000 BCE Time of alternating droughts and
flooding. ? Complex societies like Akkadian
Empire evolve in order to survive.
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Story of Joseph warning the Egyptian Pharaoh to
prepare for 7 lean years.
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1900 BCE Cold and dry period. ? Desertification
destroys Indus Civilizations.
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1630 BCE eruption of Mt. Thera Minoan Culture
ends 200 years later, overrun by Myceneans
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1200 BCE Variable atmospheric circulation
patterns hurt agriculture. ? Mycenean culture
collapses.
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1200 BCE Variable atmospheric circulation
patterns hurt agriculture. ? Also causes mass
migrations of Phrygian and Hittite peoples.
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Alexander the Great
500-400 BCE During a warm period, Europe
freezes, leading to the empire of Alexander the
Great. (Huh?)
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Europe is warmed by the Gulf Stream.
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A period of global warming could freeze Europe by
shutting down North Atlantic Ocean circulation
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Alexander the Great
500-400 BCE North Atlantic thermohaline
circulation shuts down. ? Colder temperatures in
Europe cause more southward migrations.
Macedonians overrun Greece.
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300 BCE Warming period in Asia. ? Opening of
the Silk Route.
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0 100 AD Stable temperatures allow Roman
Empire to thrive. Empire gt60 million people.
Rome gt1 million.
Sowhy did Rome collapse?
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400-500 AD Cold spell prolonged freezing. ?
Southward migration of Northern Europeans
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Why is Leif Ericsson able to sail to America?
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Why is Leif Ericsson able to sail to
America? 950-1250 AD Warm and dry period
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950-1250 AD Warm and dry period ? Mayan culture
collapses
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950-1250 AD Warm and dry period ? American
Southwest cultures like the one at Chaco Canyon
collapse. Anasazi peoples disappear.
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The continual cooling during the 13th century
coincided with severe droughts in central Asia
correlates with Mongol Expansion
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Why does the plague strike Europe in the 1300s?
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• 1250 CE Onward Increasing cold spell possibly
  due to a minimum in solar activity
• Great famine of 1315-1317
• Black Death, 1345

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Begins with flooding in China. More than 7
million drown in Yellow River.
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Spread of the plague through Europe
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Plague returned in 1563, 1578, 1593, 1603, 1625,
1636, and 1665 (throughout Little Ice Age)
Social dynamics of Europe forever changed.
Weakening of Catholic Church and Holy Roman
Empire Pogroms destroy 210 Jewish communities
in Western Europe by 1351. Jewish communities
resettle in the east.
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Little Ice Age Caused by Decrease in Solar
Output of Sunspots Correlates with
Temperature Many Sunspots Warm Few Sunspots
Cold
Little Ice Age
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• 1550-1850 Little Ice Age
• Eskimos land in Scotland (1690).
• Scots emigrate to Ireland.

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China 1620-1650 Extreme cold causes death of 40
of population (70 million) 1644 Manchu
invasion ends the Ming dynasty, starts the Qing
dynasty
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1618-1648 Thirty Years War worst ever in
European history in terms of percentage of
population killed by warfare, starvation, and
epidemics
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1600 Volcano Huaynaputina erupts in Peru
(largest recorded volcanic eruption in South
America)
1601 Recorded temperatures in Switzerland,
Latvia, and Baltic Sean were coldest in a 300-yr
period 1602 Chinese cherry blossoms bloomed 17
days late Japanese lakes froze weeks early 1602
German wine production was down 95
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1601-1604 Severe famines in Russia kill up to
500,000 people. 1604 Weakened government allows
invasion by pretender to the throne 1605 Boris
Gudunov dies with government in disarray
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Why does the French Revolution occur in 1789?
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1783 Laki volcano, Iceland Asama volcano, Japan
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After 1816 there is a huge push of U.S. Westward
Expansion. Why?
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1816 is known as the Year without a summer. It
snows in New England in the summer.
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Volcanoes!
1812 Soufriere volcano, St. Vincent Island 1814
Mayon volcano, Philippines 1815 Tambora volcano,
Indonesia
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Last 10,000 years VERY warm AND stable!!
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For a copy of the presentation, please email me
at michael_at_seismo.wustl.edu
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