RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
E-Portfolio Assignment
Kameron Richard Leon
Salt Lake Community College
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
PART ONE-EARTHQUAKES
1. This earthquake is located in Pakistan and is a magnitude 4.6. It occurred on October 12, 2012 at
4:54 AM. The depth of the earthquake was 24.30 KM (15.10 MI) and it is a Continental
Convergent (Continental-Continental) boundary. This specific earthquake is located here
because two continental plates converged with one another. With continental to continental
neither are dense enough to subduct beneath one or the other, so the pressure is so strong it
forces them both up to create mountain ranges; as you can see in the photo. This earthquake is
around many mountains.
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
2. This earthquake is located in Central Turkey and is a magnitude 4.4. It occurred on October 16,
2012 at 4:16 AM. The depth of the earthquake was 5.10 KM (3.17 MI) and it is a Continental
Transform Fault (Transform) boundary. This specific earthquake is found here because two
continental plates have slid past one another causing lots of shaking (an earthquake).
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
3. This earthquake is located in New Guinea, Papua and is a magnitude 4.9. It occurred on October
14, 2012 at 4:16 PM. The depth of the earthquake was 25.40 KM (15.78 MI) and it is an Oceanic
Convergent (Oceanic-Oceanic) boundary. This specific earthquake is found here because two
oceanic plates are converging against one another until the denser one subducts underneath
the less dense one and a subduction zone is created.
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4. This earthquake is located in Tonga and is a magnitude 5.0. It occurred on October 14, 2012 at 6:52
AM. The depth of the earthquake was 25.60 KM (15.91 MI) and it is an Oceanic Spreading Rift
(Divergent) boundary. This specific earthquake is found here because two oceanic plates have pulled
away from one another and material (in this case rock) fills the space that was created from the
divergence.
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5. This earthquake is located in Maule, Chile and is a magnitude 4.8. It occurred on October 14,
2012 at 5:50 AM. The depth of the earthquake was 20.40 KM (12.68 MI) and it is a Subduction
Zone (Oceanic-Continental) boundary. This specific earthquake is found here because an oceanic
plate has converged with a continental plate. This kind of convergence will result in the oceanic
plate subducting beneath the continental plate where a subduction zone is created to destroy
the material.
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PART TWO-VOLCANOES
1. Ayelu is the name of a volcano located in Ethiopia on a Divergent (Continental Rift)
boundary that includes a few different types; a Caldera, Stratovolcano, and Pyroclastic
Cones.
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2. Sete Cidades is the name of a volcano located in Portugal on a Divergent (Oceanic
Spreading Rift) boundary that includes a few different types; a Stratovolcano, Caldera,
and Pyroclastic Cones.
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3. Middle Gobi is the name of a volcano located in Mongolia on a Divergent (Continental
Rift) boundary that is a Cinder Cone type of volcano.
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4. Mauna Kea is the name of a volcano located in Hawaii on a Hot Spot boundary that
includes both a Shield and Pyroclastic Cones as the types of volcano.
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E-portfolio Reflection
Volcanoes and earthquakes are two natural hazards that are greatly related to one another.
Over time we have noticed that if an earthquake occurs than a volcano around that area is likely
to go off as well. As I looked over the areas where volcanoes are along tectonic plates and where
earthquakes have occurred, I noticed some cool patterns. It is really fascinating to me that
Google Earth allows you to install these add-ons and to see where earthquakes have occurred and
where volcanoes stand. It is really important that people look at these and be aware; it can really
be used as a prevention awareness tool in some cases. And if it can’t be, then at least they
learned something about the relationships between volcanoes and earthquakes.
As I looked at Google Earth I noticed that a lot of volcanoes occurred and occur along
Subduction Zones in an area called “The Ring of Fire;” that we also learned about in class. Then
when I looked again I noticed that a lot of earthquakes have happened in the past week along this
area also. In Subduction Zones we have an oceanic plate colliding with a continental plate and
sinking beneath the continental crust. I remember learning in class that volcanoes are usually
around oceanic plates. This being said, I did find some volcanoes that occurred along oceanic to
oceanic plates; and surely enough earthquakes have happened in those areas as well in the past
week. It is really crazy how many volcanoes there are on “The Ring of Fire.” We learned about
this area in class, but I never realized how many volcanoes there actually really were on this
island; and how many earthquakes did occur in this area as well. This program is amazing
because it actually showed me every single volcano and earthquake recorded which really helped
me in understanding things a little better.
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
In a Subduction Zone we will see an oceanic to continental convergence, and the oceanic
plate will be forced by pressure (because it is more dense) to go underneath the continental plate
where it will be burned and destroyed. This burning and destroying is one of the underlying
factor in volcanoes because during this process magma is produced and starts to rise to the
surface; marking a volcano. As I was reading in the textbook it stated that these areas “are clearly
marked by earthquakes because as the oceanic subducts, earthquakes are produced both between
it and the overriding plate and within the interior of the subducting plate.” (Natural Hazards,
31) This evidence shows us that earthquakes and volcanoes are greatly related and why they
usually occur around each other. It is amazing how much natural disasters are actually related
and can be the cause of an offset of one another. The relationship between volcanoes and
earthquakes is so much clearer to me now. When two plates collide, in any way, they are
obviously likely to create some shaking like an earthquake. But in some cases when convergence
happens, one plate is pushed beneath another and we start seeing volcanoes and earthquakes
occurring in that area; such as “The Ring of Fire.” When you look on the map you can even see
earthquakes and volcanoes around Oceanic to Oceanic convergences, and why? Because the
denser oceanic plate goes below the less dense oceanic plate and a subduction zone is formed.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this assignment a lot more than I thought I would. I found
it really interesting to be able to look and see where most volcanoes are and why. It really helped
me understand the whole process and relationship behind volcanoes and earthquakes. It is
interesting how when you really start to understand an assignment, you get so much more into it
and passionate about it. I started having a lot of fun looking at the map and seeing where the
different plate boundaries were, especially in relationship to volcanoes and earthquakes. Even
clicking and learning about each volcano was fascinating and provided me with a lot more
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
knowledge than I had before. It really wasn’t that bad of an assignment, but was frustrating to
learn and get used to at first.
RUNNINGHEAD: E-PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT
Reference Page

Keller, Edward & Devecchio, Duane. (2012). Natural Hazards, 3rd Edition.

Google Earth. (2012).

In class lectures and notes (didn’t use any word for word, but thought I should cite it
since that is where I learned most of the information)