Disaster Readiness and Risk

Reduction
Week no. : 12

Other Geological Hazards – Bolide Impact,

Ground Subsidence, and Coastal Erosion

Learning Targets

I can recognize the existence of a hazard caused by the interaction of the earth with
extraterrestrial objects
I can identify the causes and potential effects of a possible large bolide impact
I can explain the major causes of ground subsidence
I can explain how the perennial process of coastal erosion could pose a threat to life and property

Bolide Impact

Bolide - is any extraterrestrial

objects
• Bollide impact - these may
pose one of the largest, if not
the greatest,
threats to the existence of the
human race
• The event that caused mass
extinction 65 million years ago
is now known

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as the Cretaceous-Paleogene or
K-pg extinction event.
• The Chelyabinsk meteorite
impact is a reminder of the
hazards
associated with the impact of
extraterrestrial objects.
• The largest known bolide
impact in the modern times was
the 1908
Tunguska event.
Bolide - is any extraterrestrial
objects
• Bollide impact - these may
pose one of the largest, if not
the greatest,
threats to the existence of the
human race

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• The event that caused mass
extinction 65 million years ago
is now known
as the Cretaceous-Paleogene or
K-pg extinction event.
• The Chelyabinsk meteorite
impact is a reminder of the
hazards
associated with the impact of
extraterrestrial objects.
• The largest known bolide
impact in the modern times was
the 1908
Tunguska event.
 Bolide - is any extraterrestrial objects
 Bolide impact – these may pose one of the largest, if not the greatest, threats to the
existence of the human race
 The event that caused mass extinction 65 million years ago is now known as
Cretaceous-Paleogene or K-pg extinction event.
 The Chelyabinsk meteorite impact is a reminder of the hazards associated with the
impact of extraterrestrial objects.
 The largest known bolide impact in the modern times was the 1908 Tunguska event.
 When an asteroid, a comet, or a meteoroid hits Earth’s surface, the portion of the
ground which is hit becomes severely compressed and deformed.
 The impact site – ejecta
 Impact crater – the depression excavated by the imparters
 Micrometeorites – 50 micrometers to 2 millimeters in average diameter
 Asteroids – large stony and/or metallic chunks which are confined in the asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter

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  Comets – combination of ice, rock fragments, and dust
 Meteoroids – are stony, iron, and stony-iron chunks that are still traveling in outer
space
 Meteorites – same as meteoroids except that meteorites have already hit the Earth’s
surface
 Meteors – are those which are still in flight in the Earth’s atmosphere
 Evidence of impact could be in the form of materials like tektites, impact breccia,
shatter cones, impact spherules, shocked quartz, coesite.
 The Potential Effects of a Large Impact Event:
- Drastic changes in climatic conditions
- Wildfires
- Tsunamis
- Acid rain
 NASA is continuously identifying and tracking all near-earth objects (NEOsfi).
 The objective of tracking these NEOs is to be able to have enough lead time for
preparation.
 How to Prepare for an Impact:
-Initiating a space mission to intercept an NEO either by deflecting it or destroying it.
-Preparing supplies is necessary for survival.
Ground Subsidence:
 Ground Subsidence – relative lowering of the Earth’s surface usually with respect to the
mean sea level
 Causes of Ground Subsidence:
-Carbonate dissolution and collapse
-Excessive groundwater withdrawal
-Extraction of oil and natural gas
-Earthquake
-Underground mining methods
-Isostatic rebound
-Change in season
 Effects of Ground Subsidence:
-sudden ground collapse
-widespread damage to property
 Mitigating Subsidence-Related Hazards:
-real-time subsistence monitoring systems deployed in subsidence prone area
-map out the areas which are subsidence-prone
Coastal Erosion
 Coastal Erosion – natural process which shapes shorelines by wearing away coastal land
or beaches mainly by the impact of waves along the shoreline
 Causes of Coastal Erosion:
- Removal of vegetation cover
- Concentration of drainage water flow into the sea
- Construction of structures
- Building activities
- Activities which destroy natural protective features
- Shipping and boating activities
 Effects of Coastal Erosion:
- Modify the landscape and possibly cause damage gradually over season or after many
years
- Foundation of houses built on such areas can be compromised or may even result in total
wreck

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  Managing Coastal Erosion:
- Preservation of and restriction of activities
- Regulating coastal erosion protection structures
- Prohibiting constructions
- Restricting development of utilities
- Building coastal erosion protection structures

References:
•
Rimando, R., & Belen, J, Phil. (2016). Disaster Readiness And Risk Reduction: Basic Concept of Disaster and
Disaster
  Risk (First Edition). REX.
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/philippine-normal-university/ma-science-education/summaries/bolide-impact-
ground-subsidence-and-coastal-erosion/5797576/view

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