INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

GEO SCIENCE AND ITS APLICATIONS

Approved by:
Prof.Dr.Sutikno

By
Wahyu Widiyatmoko
14/370741/PMU/08199

Geo-Information for Spatial Planning and Disaster Risk Management

GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF GADJAH MADA
YOGYAKARTA
2014
A. TYPE FOR INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

1. Explain why the Earths surface is very dynamic?

The Earths surface is very dynamic because it is influenced by endogenous
and exogenous processes. These processes form the earth surface from the
internal and external of the earth. The earths surface is also influenced by
plate tectonic theory that is changed the earths surface significantly.

2. Compare and contrast internal processes with surface processes.

The internal and surface processes has many distinctions to form the earths
surface. The energy of the internal processes are obtained from the earths
interior. This heat can create the convective current that moves the plate
tectonic in the earths surface. The energy of the surface processes are
obtained from the sun. the solar radiation in the earths surface is the main
energy to change the earths surface condition.

3. Compare and contrast uniformitarianism and catastrophism; and give

the examples.
The uniformitarianism has a distinction with catastrophism. The
uniformitarianism believe that the earth surface is occurred with billion years
process. The process is slowly and each process will give different land
expression in the earth surface. For example is the occurring of karst with
slowly processes. The period of karst affect the karst characteristic. The
catastrophism believe that the earth surface is formed as suddenly
phenomenon. Meteorite, earthquake, etc suddenly change the earth surface.
Today, the geologists use uniformitarianism with interrupted by catastrophism.

4. List the main major layer of the Earth, and which is the most important
to the dynamic condition of the Earths surface, and why?
There are three major layer of the earth. They are crust, mantle and core. The
crust is divided in to two part, they are continental crust and oceanic crust. The
mantle is divided into three parts, they are uppermost mantle, asthenosphere,
and lowermost mantle. The deepest zone of the earths layer is the core. This
 zone is divided into two parts, they are outer core and inner core. The most
important layer to the dynamic condition of the earth surface is the mantle
because the convective current happens in this layer. The convective current
which has main role in the plate tectonic theory and change the earths surface
significantly.

5. What do you know about plate tectonic theory?

The plate tectonic theory assume that the earths surface consists of many parts
or segment. The plates are not static but they are moving on the underlying of
the asthenosphere. The motion is very slowly, so we cant feel the motion.
There are three types of the plate motion. They are pulling away, sliding pass
each other, and moving toward each other (collision). These three motions of
the plate tectonic will produce different types of the plate boundary, they are
divergent, convergent, and transform. These boundary types have own
characteristic that we can identify in the earths surface. The motion of the
plate tectonic is caused by convective current in the mantle layer.

6. What is the impact of plate motion to the geological structure and volcano
distribution?
The plate motion produces three types of plate boundary, they are divergent,
convergent, and transform. Among the three types of boundary, the convergent
boundary has the main role to impact the geological structure. The convergent
boundary also impact to the volcano distribution. In the convergent zone, the
plate tectonic is collided each other. This condition make the compression and
tension will be occurred in the plate tectonic. The compression and tension in
the plate tectonic in the long period will produce fold and fault in the
geological structure. The fold and fault will influence the earths dynamical
surface. The convergent boundary also will produce subduction zone. In this
zone, the oceanic crust will move under the continental crust. The oceanic
crust will enter the asthenosphere. In this layer, the oceanic crust will be
melted because this layer has high temperature. The material which has lower
density than the asthenosphere will be pulled away to the earth surface passing
the joint and fault. This material is called magma. When the magma continues
 to move to the surface, it will reach the earths surface. This magma will be
turn out and become the lava. The magma and lava will be continuously reach
the earths surface and produce the volcano. This phenomenon only happen in
the convergent boundaries, so the volcano will be distributed in the collision
plate or convergent.

7. What is the relationship between geological condition and

geomorphologic condition?
The geological condition is the condition of the Earth including the material
that is made of, the physical and chemical change that is occurred on its
surface and its interior and the history of the planet. The geology prior the
study in the physical and the material of the rocks. The geomorphology is a
science that studies the Earths surface. The surface and the physical character
has strong relationship, so the geological condition and the geomorphologic
condition has strong relationship too. The surface of the earth is not same, so
we have to consider the geological condition to describe the earth surface
processes and condition. Without considering the geological condition, we
cant explain how the variation of the earths surface is occurred. For example,
the resistant rock will be difficult to be eroded and will produce different
landscape with an area with less resistant rock. So, the geological condition
has main role to define the earths surface processes.

8. What is the important role of the geology and geomorphology to

determine the hazard and disaster susceptibility?
The geology and geomorphology has important role to determine the hazard
and disaster susceptibility because the geology and geomorphology can
determine the distribution of the hazard and disaster. We can estimate where
the location of hazard and disaster will occur. Each hazard has own
characteristic that can be determined with geology or geomorphology. If the
distribution and the characteristic of the hazard can be obtained, we can
choose the best place to be dwelled. By knowing the hazard characteristic, we
can match the character with the actual landscape, so we can determine an area
has potential hazard or not. From the geology and geomorphology, we can also
 consider the best planning in an area to reduce the risk when the disaster
happen.

9. In what ways do organism, including human, change the Earth; what

kind of Earth processes are affected by human and other organism.
The organism can change the earth surface by human or organism activities.
The landuse will be changed if the human do activities in the area. Many
activities will change the earth surface, for example use the earth surface for
settlement, agriculture, etc. For agriculture, human change the erosion rate.
The change of landcover will make the erosion will be changed too.
Commonly for agriculture, the erosion will be greater than natural vegetation.

10. What kinds of data are needed to determine spatial distribution of the
hazard susceptibility of landslide, earthquake, volcanic eruption and
tsunami; and explain how to obtain the data?
The spatial distribution of the hazard susceptibility can be determined with
basic data. Each hazard has own characteristic and we have to search different
data to determine the hazard susceptibility accurately.

Hazard Data must be needed How to obtain the data

Landslide Slope steepness, Analysis from topographic map
landuse,
Soil type Soil map, observation and
(permeability, texture, laboratory analysis
structure, solum,
composition)
Precipitation Monthly/annual rainfall data from
rainfall station
Earthquake Geologic structure Geologic map, observation
Active fault Geologic map
Earthquake history Download from USGS data
Landuse Analysis from topographic map
Volcanic eruption Distance from crater Topographic map or image
analysis
 Landform Aerial photograph and image
interpretation
Slope steepness, river Analysis from topographic map
distribution and
landuse
Eruption history History of volcanic eruption from
official geologic survey
Tsunami Fault line in the ocean Analysis from geologic map
Topographic, landuse Analysis from topographic map
and river distribution
C. TYPE A FOR INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT
1. What are the scope of geological science, and which one of them have
importance role for disaster mitigation and natural resources evaluation?
There are many scopes of geological science. They are paleontology, structural
geology, field geology, photo-geology, stratigraphy, etc. Each of geology
scope has own role to study the earth surface dynamic. Among the geology
scopes that are mention, stratigraphy has important role for disaster mitigation
and natural resources evaluation. The stratigraphy can determine the hazard
area especially on landslide or erosion because the stratigraphy can predict the
land stability in an area. The stratigraphy is important because it can inform
the physical character of the rock, so we can predict the prone area from
analyzing the stratigraphy. The stratigraphy also can determine the potential
ground water in an area, so we can determine the area that is prone with lack
of water.

2. What is the difference between mineral and rocks?

The distinction between the mineral and rocks are:
Mineral is an inorganic substance and naturally occur and has chemical
composition with characteristic atomic structure. The mineral composition
that arranges the rock determines the characteristic of the rock. The mineral
in the rock also can determine the texture of the rock.
The rock is combination mineral in a solid state. Have a very wide range of
composition, physical characteristic, and ages. Commonly composed by
two mineral or more. The combination of the mineral is an important part to
determine the rock characteristic.
So, the mineral is the composition of rock

3. Why acid rocks more dominant in the earth surface compare to basic
rocks?
The acid rocks is more dominant in the earth surface because the rock in the
earth surface is produced by volcano activities. The volcano activities produce
 magma that is caused by subduction zone. The magma from volcanic activity
has granitic characteristic. This rock is an acid rock. Closer the magma
chamber from the subduction zone, it will produce the acid magma. Further
magma chamber from the subduction, it will more basaltic. Because almost of
the volcanoes are located near the subduction zone, so the magma has acid
characteristic. Magma from these volcanoes produce the acid rocks in the
earth surface. The basic rock is located near the divergent zone, so this rock is
less dominant than the acid rocks.

4. What is correlation between texture and rock types of the igneous rocks.
There is correlation between the texture and rock type of igneous rocks. The
igneous rock with fast cooled will produce glass texture. The mineral inside
the rock will not crystalize and make the rocks like a natural glass. This rocks
does not have texture so it will look glossy. Obsidian is the example of this
type of rock. Slower the igneous rocks cooled, it will have bigger mineral
crystal. The rocks will have coarse texture. The granite is the example of the
rock with slow cooled. The crystal in the rock will give information how long
the rock is cooled from magma.

5. Describe at least five geologic structures that have closed relation to

natural disaster, and why?
The geologic structure has closed relation to the natural disaster.
Fault in an area can be signed that the area is prone with earthquake. The
longer fault line in an area, the prone of earthquake will be bigger too. The
fault line can be used to identify the distribution of earthquake in an area.
Fold can form the mountain. The anticline mountain can be an example of
fold. The anticline mountain has steep slope that can make the area has
prone of landslide, mass wasting, and erosion.
Dome is one of type of anticline that has steep slope. This condition will
make the area has susceptibility of landslide, mass wasting, and erosion
Joint is a fracture of rock without noticeable movement. The rock will be
more fragile and easily to escape. This condition will make the rock will
easily escape from the main rock. the rock fall and debris flow become the
hazard that can be occurred in this area.
 Volcanic has high susceptibility of disaster. When a volcano erupt, it will
blow the volcanic materials like bomb, lapilli, ash, and dust. The volcano
material has to be avoided.

6. Describe the main aspects of the geomorphology and their relation to

natural hazard.
There are 4 main aspects of geomorphology, they are morphology,
morphogenesis, morpho-chronology, and morpho-arrangement.
Morphology is the aspect that represent the actual landscape of the earth
surface. The morphology is divided into two aspect, they are morphography
and morphometry. Morphography are describe the landscape with
qualitative aspect when the morphometry is used quantitative aspect. From
the morphology aspect we can determine the prone area with disaster. For
example, flat area is prone with flood, steep slope is prone with landslide
and mass wasting, etc.
Morphogenesis define the process and development of a landform. This
aspect can be used to determine the prone area with analysis of the genesis
approach. The erosion, sedimentation will make us easily to determine the
prone area from hazard.
Morpho-chronology is study a landform from the age. The relative and
absolute time is used to determine the hazard in an area. The natural hazard
has cycle so we can assume when the disaster will occur.
Morpho-arrangement will represent the spatial relation of one phenomena
to another. From this aspect, we can determine the relation of natural hazard
with other condition

7. Why there are some landform units on the earth surface?

Landform is a terrain feature formed by natural processes which has a
definable composition and range of physical and visual characteristic that
occur wherever the landform is found. The landform is naturally formed from.
The relief, material composition, and geomorphic processes become the main
factor that is influenced to the landform. The landform classification is
important to accurately analysis data. The different landform is caused because
 the earths surface has complex relief and processes. The classification of
landform will make us easily to learn about the genesis of an area.

8. Why geomorphologic or landform units can be used for identification of

natural disaster types and evaluation on natural resources.
The geomorphologic or landform can be used for identification of natural
disaster because it can determine the characteristic of natural disaster. From
the earth landscape we can assess the prone area in natural disaster by seeing
the characteristic. Every landform has own characteristic and influence to the
natural disaster that happen in a landform. The geomorphologic also can be
used to evaluate the natural resources because geomorphology can assess the
potential of a landform. The potential natural resources has own characteristic
that can be identified by landform unit.

9. What kind of geomorphologic factors which influence of mass-wasting

susceptibility?
The geomorphologic factor which influence of mass wasting susceptibility are
slope steepness, soil solum, permeability, clay composition, soil density,
landuse. Greater slope in an area the mass wasting potential will be greater
too. The landslide, rockfall, solifluction will happen more intensively in the
steep slope. Deeper the soil solum in an area, it will has greater potential of
mass wasting because the mass of soil will be collapse because of gravitation.
Better permeability will make an area will more susceptibility of landslide.
The greater composition of clay it will make an area will prone of mass
wasting especially creep. The landuse also influence to the mass wasting
significantly. The high density vegetation or building in the steep slope will
make the soil has greater mass. It will make the area will prone of mass
wasting, especially landslide. Undercutting the slope also will make the area
has more potential of mass wasting.

10. What kind of geomorphologic factors which influence of flood

susceptibility?
The geomorphologic factors which influence of flood susceptibility are river
shape, the distance from river, slope steepness, soil permeability, and
watershed area. The soil permeability influence an area for flood because the
area has low of infiltration and higher run off. The flat area with low soil
permeability will has greater prone area of flood. The area will be inundated
by water if heavy precipitation will happen. The flood also can be occurred
when the catchment area/recharge area has high precipitation. The water will
flow to the lowland and flood will be occurred.