Introduction
For your final report you will be writing an informational research paper on a particular earthquake in
recorded history. It should be typed, between 1000 – 2000 words, and double spaced with 12 pt font.
Your report should include topics such as the geological characteristics of the area, the seismological
implications of the earthquake, the shaking, seismic models, etc. You can also include information on
additional hazards that were caused by the earthquake (landslides, liquefaction, tsunamis, etc.).
Although you can include some information on random facts like the fatalities and damage to structures,
it should not be the primary focus of your report. This report should be focused on geologic and
geophysical topics! You are encouraged to include figures and images, including shake maps, fault
models, images of damage/destruction, seismograms, etc. These can be great visual aids to get your
point across!
Be sure to make use of various sources and resources! There is an attached resource list on the next two
pages to help get you started. Below are some suggested topics, but feel free to write on any large,
important, or interesting historical quake:
• 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, Portugal
• 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Northern California
• 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Northern California
• 1994 Northridge Earthquake, Southern California
• 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake, Japan
• 2004 Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia
• 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, Alaska
• 2010 Haiti Earthquake, Haiti
• 1960 Valdiva Earthquake, Chile
• 2014 South Napa Earthquake, Northern California
• 1933 Long Beach Earthquake, Southern California
• 1700 Cascadia Earthquake, Northwest US
• 1857 Fort Tejon Earthquake, Southern California
• 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, New Zealand
• 1872 Lone Pine Earthquake, Eastern California
• 2010 Baja California Earthquake, Mexico
• 1992 Landers Earthquake, Mojave Desert, California
• 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, Japan
• 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes, Missouri
SAMPLE RESOURCES
Overview:
Earthquake Country, an overview of hazards due to earthquakes in southern California:
http://www.earthquakecountry.org/roots/contents.html
Historical Earthquakes Information and Catalogs:
List of historical data and maps for California, provided by the USGS.
https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/earthquake-hazards/science/information-region-california?qt-
science_center_objects=0 – qt-science_center_objects
California earthquake history catalog:
https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/Pages/Earthquakes/earthquake-catalog.aspx
Chronological Earthquake Index (southern California):
http://scedc.caltech.edu/significant/chron-index.html
Historical Earthquakes and Significant Faults (southern California):
http://scedc.caltech.edu/significant/
Recent earthquakes map search using Google maps:
http://scedc.caltech.edu/recent/
General Seismic Hazards:
Maps for earthquake probability, shaking/liquefaction hazard, and geology (San Francisco bay area):
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/hazards/urban/sfbay/liquefaction/sfbay/
‘Did You Feel It’ Maps:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/
Interactive map search for natural hazards (earthquake, flood, fire, and tsunami hazards) in your
neighborhood:
http://myhazards.caloes.ca.gov/
ShakeMaps (or ground shaking maps) for earthquakes in CA from 1999-2018:
https://strongmotioncenter.org/shake/archive/
Faults and Fault Activity:
USGS Interactive Fault Map:
https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5a6038b3a1684561a9b0aadf88412f
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