Geology
Earthquakes in New Mexico Questions
Name_________________________
Standards
 Describe the geological manifestations of plate tectonics, including earthquakes
 Describe how scientific knowledge helps decision makers with local challenges
1. No earthquakes larger than what magnitude have occurred in the Rio Grande Rift since 1849?
2. Why could ground shaking in the rift be severe?
3. Why could there be significant damage in Rio Grande Valley if a large earthquake occurs?
4. What is the name of the phenomenon that causes earthquakes?
5. What kind of earthquake faulting has created the Basin and Range and the Rio Grande Rift?
6. Where do the greatest earthquakes occur?
7. What size, and where, was the largest regional historic earthquake?
8. How is the rate of earthquake activity in NM characterized?
9. How many earthquakes larger than M5 have occurred historically in NM?
10. What size, where, and when was the largest recorded earthquake in NM?
11. Why is the Socorro the most seismically active area in NM?
12. Most earthquake records for active faults in the Rio Grande Rift have been derived from what
science?
13. We have paleoseismological data for what two faults near Albuquerque?
14. The evidence from paleoseismological data shows that what size of earthquakes have occurred
throughout the rift?
15. What is the recurrence interval for large earthquakes on the rift?
16. What are the biggest hazards from earthquakes in NM?
17. What kind of structures will be impacted by basin-amplified ground shaking?
18. Does NM have laws restricting building of structures across known active faults?
19. What areas in NM are subject to liquefaction during an earthquake? Why?
20. What is a cost-effective first step for communities in NM to take to reduce earthquake risk?