Forecast Energy Dissipation from 2010 Chile Tsunami

February 2010 Chile Earthquake and Tsunami

Compiled by John McDaris, SERC.

Centered off the coast near Maule, Chile, this 8.8 magnitude earthquake on February 27, 2010 was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. The massive quake also triggered a tsunami that swept across the Pacific basin.

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Visualizations and Media Reports

[image 20678 left border https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/ #maps][link https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/ #maps 'USGS Maps of the Earthquake']: This page houses maps of the earthquake at the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Also available are geographic details about the quake, a tectonic summary of the locale, and scientific information about the quake.

Preliminary forecast model energy map - 2010 Chile event (more info) This image show preliminary calculations for wave height resulting from the February 2010 tsunami generated by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck just offshore of Maule, Chile on February 27, 2010. This graphic was produced by the NOAA's West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

Infrastructure Spares Chile: This is an interview with Mike Blanpied of the USGS on CNN's The Situation Room. Blanpied discusses the quake and how Chile's modern infrastructure may be the thing that spared it the same casualty count as occurred in Port au Prince Haiti.

CNN Chile Earthquake: Photos: This image gallery from CNN shows some of the aftermath of the massive temblor.

Tsunami Propagation Visualization (more info) This visualization of the Tsunami generated by the 2010 Chile earthquake shows the spread of the tsunami waves across the pacific. More information can be found on the NOAA Center For Tsunami Research - Chile Event Page.

Chile, Haiti Quakes Explained: In this interview from NPR's All Thing Considered, Walter Mooney, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, explains the differences between the two quakes. Audio and a transcript are available.

Teaching Activities and Materials

These teaching materials have to do with earthquakes in general or the Chile earthquake specifically.

IRIS Teachable Moment: This page from IRIS compiles a number of links to various materials including a powerpoint that educators can use in the classroom.
Two Earthquakes in Two Months: Comparing the Quakes in Haiti and Chile: This activity published on the NY Times Learning Network blog asks students to investigate the differences and similarities between these two major quakes and their effects.
Teach the Earth SiteGuide on Earthquakes: This SiteGuide points to areas around the Teach the Earth site that have collections of earthquake resources.
Earthquake Activities on Teach the Earth: Teach the earth contains more than 200 teaching activities having to do with earthquakes.
DataSheet: Exploring Seismology in the Classroom Using the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program Data
DataSheet: Exploring Broadband Seismic Data in the Classroom