KTTM+2.4

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2.4 Monitoring Faults
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Vocabulary
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Outline
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Devices that Monitor Faults

 * Creep Meters
 * a creep meter uses a wire stretched across a fault to measure horizontal movement of the ground
 * on one side of the fault, the wire is attached to a post and on the other side the wire is attached to a weight that can easily slide if the fault moves
 * Laser-Ranging Devices
 * a laser-ranging device uses a laser beam to detect any slight movements caused from the fault
 * this device calculates any change in the time needed for the laser beam to travel to a reflector and bounce back thus the device can detect any change in distance to the reflector
 * Tiltmeters
 * a tiltmeter measures now much the ground has tilted
 * if the land tilts, the water in the bulbs tilts to the side the land is leaning towards
 * Satellite Monitors
 * instead of using all ground monitors geologists tried using satellite monitors as a choice as well
 * the satellite bounces radio waves off the ground and as the waves come back the satellite record them

Monitoring Risk in the United States

 * Even with the good data we have, geologists can't predict where the earthquake will strike
 * The risk of earthquakes are high where the Pacific and The north American plates meet

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