REPLIES TO HW#6

Alison

1.) What are S and P waves and how do they differ from electromagnetic waves such as x-rays and light?
S and P waves are shock waves that are sent out as a result of an earthquake. These waves are similar to water waves, and differ greatly from electromagnetic waves because there is no electromagnetic force field involved. Shock waves are created by a disturbance in an object and the shock of the disturbance creates waves, that also have wavelengths, amplitude, and frequencies. The waves depend greatly on the composition that they are trying to pass through, which gives scientists a great deal of information about the interior of the Earth. P waves, or primary waves, are the first type of waves to be felt at a considerable distance, and they travel very fast, more than 13,000 miles per hour. These waves have the ability to travel through both solids and liquids, however at different rates. P waves can travel incredible distances, like through the entire Earth's interior, from one side to another. S waves, or shear waves, travel at about half the speed of P waves. The S waves also can travel through the Earth's interior, including the mantle, which is where they get their name "body waves." These waves come after the primary waves.

2.) Mapping the Earth's interior by using S and P waves is sometimes said to be "taking a CT scan of the Earth." Explain the similarities and differences between this kind of tomography and an x-ray or CT scan of the human body.
Tomography is the mapping of the interior of a body without opening it. The similarities of CT scans and using S and P waves to map the interior of the Earth are that different types of waves are sent through the bodies and data is collected on the other side to tell scientists something about the composition of the interior of that certain body. The differences between an x-rays or CT scan and the use of S and P waves are that CT scans and x-rays use electromagnetic radiation for composition detection and are man made for specific times of use. S and P waves are shock waves and are not controlled by humans. S and P waves occur by the force of nature (so do x-rays, but not in this context) and can only be further researched when they occur.

3.) What can be learned about the Earth's interior by this method?
Much of the Earth's composition can be detected using this method of measuring S and P waves. S and P waves are considered "body waves," waves that travel through the interior of the Earth. By having seismologists recording data all over the world, they are able to record how fast these body waves penetrate the Earth. The seismologists record the travel time it takes from the time the waves are released to the time it penetrates the other side. By triangulating these measurements, the seismologists can get a better understanding of the composition of what the waves are traveling through. The waves travel at a higher velocity when going through denser materials. By noting where the waves have considerable velocity changes, the seismologists can infer where the composition boundaries are, giving them the ability to map the interior of the Earth.

4.) What is a paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?
A paleoclimate map is a map of the Earth's climate history. It maps out what and where the surface composition consisted of, such as surface water and vegetation. It also maps out the perceived temperature, rainfall, and ice cover. Scientists collect information by using fossilized pollen from core samples that are taken around the world. Every plant species has a specific pollen shape. By identifying the species in which the pollen came from, paleobiologists can infer what kind of vegetation was present. And in turn deduce what the climate, precipitation, flora, and fauna were during that time period. It is constructed by collecting data from all over the world and mapping out the information from the different time periods.

5.) What is a "computer model" of Earth's climate and how does it differ from all the other kinds of data visualization methods we have studied so far? A computer model of the Earth's climate is a computer generated map of either past, present, or future climate changes. The computer models require the same amount of data, but considerably less amounts of time to generate the results. Surprisingly, the computer models matched very closely to those that the scientists put together. The computer model did, however, seem to find the main reason for drastic climate changes over long periods of time. The computer calculated that the Earth's axis wobbling, over a span of 22,000 years, creates the climate changes that have been being studied. It seems that the major difference between the paleoclimate maps and the other topics that we have been studying is that the paleoclimate maps are data sets that have been inferred. The other data visualization methods that we have studied are all methods of collecting data as it is happening, or being created. The paleoclimate maps are created with information that is being inferred from other modern day techniques, such as pollen identification. The paleoclimate maps are a projection of what the Earth's climate history, whereas the information collected from X-rays, CT scans, microwaves (medically speaking), S and P waves all come from events that take place in the current time frame.

Denny

1) what are S and P waves and how do they differ from electromagnetic waves such as X-rays and light?
A: P waves are primary waves generated by earthquake. S waves are shear waves, also generated by earthquake but travel more slowly than P waves. Both waves are known as earthquake waves. In contrast, X-rays and light are electromagnetic waves. The P and S waves are capable o passing both solid and liquid materials and are able to bend their path. X-rays and light are unable to past heavy solid object and light can not bend its path.

2) Mapping the Earth's interior by using S and P waves is sometimes said to be "taking a CT scan of the Earth." Explain the similarities and differences between this kind of tomography and an X-ray CT scan of the human body?
A: CT scan is used to take 360 degree image of internal structure of human body whereas scientist analyze waves path to map landscape and locate where mantle meets core. Also in X-rays, variation in TIME for X-rays to travel the body pinpoint 3D location of dense masses. In earthquake waves, variation in SPEED pinpoint location of the center of the earth.

3) What can be learned about the interior of the Earth by this method?
A: We can learn the location of the center of the earth, the subterranean landscape, and the type of force that causes planetary crust to move.

4) What is a paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?
A: It is a map that is made by combining ancient geographical data of the earth. By gathering paleoclimatological data from hundreds and thousands of years ago and combining the data, a picture of the wrold ancient climates is form. The data collected is usually taken from past vegetation such as pollen. The abundance of pollen gives info about past temperatures and moistures.

5) What is a "computer model" of Earth's climate and how does it differ from all of the other kinds of data visualization methods we have studied so far?
A: It is a computer simulation of Earth's climate based on paleoclimatological data. The data visualizationnot only simulate future climate, but it is able to simulate PAST climate. It is a computerize version of the paleoclimate map.

Jeff

1) P wave- primary waves, larger, travel through entire earth like vibrations in a bell S wave- secondary wave, smaller, only travel through mantel These waves are different from other electromagnetic waves because they are an actual vibration of atoms, not just vibrations in magnetic fields

2) These mapping concepts are simailar to CAT scans because they use slices of the eath to tell the structure. Also they mesure the amount of time it takes for the waves to travel. Here however, instead of a rotating scanner there are just many mesuring stations whose data is compiled then computed to make a 3d model of the world.

3) This method shows the liquid and solid structures in the earth. It also shows which parts of the earth are cooling and sinking and which parts are hotter and rising.

4) A paleoclimate map is basically looking at what geological remains there are of past times and trying to figure out what it would have looked like back then. This information can be used to see connections in what the climate is like in recent times.

5) A computer model of the climate is more of a simulation. Rather than just put info together in a map, the computer simulated the patterns and "laws" then puts the new data through these rules and 'predicts' what will happen. Reply Reply All Forward Delete Previous

Justin

1) S and P wave are the results of an earthquake. They trave throgh the earth and resurface at different points on the earth' crust. They are different than EM wave because the are compression waves and travel by molecule pshing against each other, kind of like dominos.

2) S and p waves take a CT scan of the earth by taveling through different kinds of matter. the speed of these waves change depending on the desity and temperature of the matter. scientists are ale to map the interior of the earth by calculating how long it take a wae to reach a different part of the earth. EM wave also scan a body by traveling throuh different kinds of matter but instaed of the speed of the waves changing, the matter alters the direction of the wave by bouncing in in a different direction or absorbs the wave so less wave get through.

3) Scientist can learn different things about the earth's interior using thses waves. They can detect the temperature of different parts of the eath and the flow of matter from one area to another.

4) Paleoclimate data map is a map charting whether patterns on the earth at different time periods many centuries before humans existed. This is done by collecting vegetation sample from different regions of the world, looking at past lake levels and pollen counts form different time periods. This data ofered clues as to what the climate was in a perticular region at a point in ancient history. Meteorologist could then create a climat map of the world at that time.

5) A computer model is a series of these maps showing changes in regional climate over time. It differs from other data visualization methods bcause it shows patens over time insted of just a present-day glimse. Analyzing these patterns can help meteorologists predit future patterns in weather.

Chris

1. P waves are primary waves. They are the first seismic waves to be felt as theytravel through the Earth. S ,aves are secondary waves. They are felt after P waves. Theses waves are ones of motion and sound, rather than light.

2. These processes are similar because they measure the time it takes for waves to travel from 1 point to another. However they both measure different types of waves, and use different instruments.

3. Scientists hope to learn the "driving force" behind plate tectonincs.

4. A paleoclimatic data map is a map which represents weather and climate of the past, more specifically, from 18000 years ago to the present. They are created by radiocarbon dating artfacts from they past and examining their characteristics to find out about wheather patterns of the past.

5. A compute model of the Earth's climate is a map which shows weather and temperature patterns of the globe. The maps differ because they can be highly flawed. Temperature and weather are constantly changing and its hard to make a map with full certainty of the Earth's climate.

Amy

1. P waves are primary waves that travel quicly and are the first to be felt at a distance, they are capable of passing through solid and liquid material. S waves are secondary or shear waves that travel more slowly through the mantel. By measuring the time it takes these waves to arrive at a siesmological observatory geophysicists get a CT scan-like image of the earths interior.

2.These waves are different because they have high enough energies to pass through thick things, whereas photons for x-ay can pass through a substantial thickness, but not through something as think as the earths mantel.

3.Seismologists can determine the surface location, or epicenter, of large earthquakes anywhere on the earth.

4.Paleoclimate maps are maps that show different climates of the earth up to 18,000 years ago.

5.Computer models of the earths climate are rich, mulilayered maps that show more information than the previous maps and data methods we have studied so far.

Daemian

* 'What are S and P waves? How do they differ from EM waves such as X-rays and light?'
S waves are 'secondary' or 'shear' waves, which travel half as fast as P waves. P waves are acoustic vibrations called 'compressional waves', which are produced by seismic activity; they can travel at speeds of 13K miles/hour, and they can penetrate both liquid and solid things. 'Since both P and S waves penetrate the interior, they are also known as "body waves"' (92) --- and incidentally, the third kind of seismic waves are called surface waves, the weakest (not useful for analyzing far-off lands). S and P waves are acoustic waves consisting of sound, as opposed to EM waves consisting of electrical charges and magnetism.

* 'Explain similarities and differences between [using S and P on earth's interior] and an X-ray CT scan of body.'
In both cases the object scanned is being scanned by waves whose traveling times are measured in order to situate their densest inner regions, yielding maps. However, S and P waves are sound rather than EM waves; the scanning or outgoing waves emenate from one place (the epicenter), whereas with CT the machine revolves around the body; and, the scans on the earth via seismic activity are not scheduled nor accomplished with human-made equipment.

*'What can be learned about the interior of the earth by this method?'
The layers -- each of different density, temperature, structure, chemistry, etc. -- comprising the interior of the earth can be mapped, and their fundamentally spherical boundaries marked. With the newest and most sensitive equipment, however, the subtler anomolies in the spherical model of the inner strata of the earth can now be mapped; the asymmetrical model being developed does justice to the dynamic *living tectonic nature of Earth since '[a]symmetry breaths life into the heart of the planet' (95).

*'What is the paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?'

'What is a "computer model" of earth's climate? How does it differ from all the other visualization methods we've studied?'

Shayla

1. S waves are shear waves which travel slower (earthquakes) and P waves are primary waves which travel quickly through both solids and liquids, thay are the first to be felt. They are different from x rays because they actually shake the ground.

2) It is simmilar because they calculate the time it takes for the P/s waves to travel and see what densities it passes through to make an image just like in a ct scan

3) using this they can determin differend densities and tempertures throughout the earth-even the center.

4) A paleoclimatic map is made by taking a number of different factors affection world climate-putting them together and making predictions for he future.

5) A computer model is just what is created visually by the computer when you input all this information. It is different because it puts together a lot of different factors and is not just based on waves and the distance/time they travel.

Mike

1) What are S and P waves and how do they differ from electromagnetic waves such as X-rays and light?
S and P waves are fast-moving waves that are created from the collision of two earth plates. P (Primary) waves can pass through both solid and liquid material and are the first to be felt at a distance because they are the fastest of the 3 waves created. S (Shear) waves, travel at half the speed of P waves. They both have different wavelengths than X-rays and light.

2) Mapping the Earth�s interior by using S and P waves is sometimes said to be �taking a CT scan of the Earth.� Explain the similarities and differences between this kind of tomography and an X-Ray CT scan of the human body.
They are similar in that they both measure the time it takes the waves to travel through regions to show where dense masses are. They are different because X-Ray CT scans are planned.

3) What can be learned about the interior of the Earth by this method?
This method has shown that volcanoes and other �hot spots� are generated from the very bottom of the mantle and the link between what we see of the earth�s surface and the properties of the earth just at the core-mantle boundary. It has the potential to further explain plate tectonics

Chapter 5
5) What is a paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?
A paleoclimate data map is a weather map from an earlier time period. It takes empirical evidence and hypotheses what the weather was like.

2) What is a �computer model� of Earth�s climate and how does it differ from all of the other kinds of data visualization methods we have studied so far?
A computer model of the Earth�s climate condenses three to four dimensional information and condenses to 2-D. It uses nonlinear partial differential equations to stimulate climatic interactions between layers of atmosphere and ocean, winds, sea ice and other factors to predict weather.

Ryan

1. P waves are primary waves, fast waves, and S waves are secondary waves. They are different from electromagnetic waves because they are acoustic waves that can be felt passing through the ground during an earth quake.

2. This is a similar technique because the information is gathered by surrounding the object and taking multiple measurements, but tin this case the measurements are detecting the changes in velocity of the S and P waves.

3. Using this method, scientists can find out the density of the earth in different location, allowing them to infer what elements that area is made up of. By putting multiple measurements together a more complete picture can be produced.

4. Paleoclimate Data maps illustrate what the climate was like in the past. These are created by gathering clues from fossils and other elements that contain evidence of a certain type of climate at that time.

5. A computer model of the earth's climate is a computer representation of the predicted future climate. These are different than other types of maps because they can allow the scientist to see what the computer prediction is as if he were traveling through time.

Rob

1. S and P waves are primary and secondary waves from earthquakes. They differ from electromagnetic waves in that they are vibrations rather than electromagnetic.

2. S and P waves are used similarly to CT scans by way of having receiving stations around the world, scientists can compute the time it took for the waves to go from the epicenter to the receiving station. This change in time reflects what the waves had to travel through to get to the receiving station.

3. We can learn from S and P waves what the interior of the Earth is made from by the time lags for the waves to reach the receiving stations. The time lags reflect the different types of minerals and the different phases of the minerals.

4. Paleo climatic mapping is the process of mapping the Earth's climate history. They are created by gathering core samples of earth from around the world and carbon dating them. Once the date is known, the sample is inspected to determine the plant and animal life that existed there at the time. By knowing what the life was the climate can be guessed to be a suitable one for support of those life forms.

5. Earth's climate models are models over time of what the Earth's climate will be like in the future. There are specific variables that are considered when making these calculations such as oceans, mountains, wind patterns, ice sheets, etc. These differ from the data visualization we have done so far in that these models are over time and the variables can all be adjusted.

Melanie

1) What are S and P waves and how do they differ from electromagnetic waves such as X-rays and light?
Primary or compressional waves (P-waves) travel through both solid and liquid. Secondary or shear waves (S-waves) do also, but they travel half as fast as P-waves. Both are Body waves because they penetrate the interior. These waves differ from X-rays and light waves because they are not electromagnetic, they are acoustic vibrations known as sound waves.

2)Mapping the Earth�s interior by using S and P waves is sometimes said to be �taking a CT scan of the Earth.� Explain the similarities and differences between this kind of tomography and an X-Ray CT scan of the human body.
They both use waves to determine what kind of material the waves are traveling through. An X-Ray CT scan is determined by whether the wave is absorbed. On the other hand the earths interior is determined using seismic tomography. The idea is that earthquake waves traveling through the earth change speed on the basis of the material they travel through.

3)What can be learned about the interior of the Earth by this method?
By measuring the arrival times of these waves they can determine the epicenter, and the layers and boundaries of the earth�s interior. A change in speed, or a discontinuity, represents some sort of boundary marked by an abrupt change in temperature, pressure, or composition of rock (higher density increases velocity). The asymmetry in waves may explain how lave flows, how the crust grows and perishes and is prelenished, how the earth�s magnetic field shifts and changes, and why a day is as long as it is. Convection cells and subduction zones can also be determined.

Chapter 5

4) What is a paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?
Paleoclimatology is the study of past climate. Therefore a paleoclimate data map is a map indicating the climate at a certain point in time. One group assemble paleoclimatological maps of the world from �fossil air�, Middens, pollen samples, marine plankton, which indicate the temperature, moisture, ice sheet, and vegetation. Carbon-14 dating allowed the scientists to date these ancient samples. From this data they made a model of ancient climates. They make calculations based on the laws of physics that explain interactions in the atmosphere require a particular genre of solution known as nonlinear partial differential equations.

5) What is a �computer model� of Earth�s climate and how does it differ from all of the other kinds of data visualization methods we have studied so far?
A computer model is a simulation of atmospheric conditions. It differs from other data visualization we have studied because we are trying to uncover the past to predict the future. I also don't think we are using microwaves to get our data. (I don't know what aspects you want.)

Josi
What are S and P waves and how do they differ from electromagnetic waves such as X-rays and light?
A P wave or primary wave is a seismic wave that travels quickly and is the first to be felt at a distance. It can pass through solid and liquid substances. P waves can penetrate the mantle of the earth much more quickly than S waves. S waves are shear waves. S and P waves are sound waves while electromagnetic waves are light waves.

Mapping the Earth's interior by using S and P waves is sometimes said to be "taking a CT scan of the Earth." Explain the similarities and differences
between this kind of tomography and an X-Ray CT scan of the human body. When taking a CT scan of the body a part of the body is encircled by x rays and x rays are shot from all 360 degrees of angles. Similarly, when trying to scan the planet's interior, scientists can measure the length of time it takes waves to reach certain distant seismological observatories to find the different layers of the earth.

What can be learned about the interior of the Earth by this method?
By analyzing these waves scientists have been able to map where mantle meets core and can start to answer what engine is driving the machine of plate tectonics.

What is a paleoclimate data map and how is it constructed?
A paleoclimate data map is a map of an ancient civilization's climate. It is constructed by doing carbon 14 dating and fetching core samples from the seafloor to find the climate and then mapping those results.

What is a "computer model" of Earth's climate and how does it differ from all of the other kinds of data visualization methods we have studied so far?
A computer model of the Earth's climate is a model generated through calculations by a computer. This model differs because it can do a continuous mapping of the weather 24 hours a day whereas it would take 64 thousand people to do the same thing. We see things we could not normally possess the manpower to do.

Jon 1. P waves are called primary waves because they travel very fast through both liquids and solids, and they are the first to be felt at a distance. S waves are known as shear waves, and they travel very slow through the earth's surface. These waves differ in their wave lengths, and are considered sound waves. However, like x-rays, differences in materials effect the time it takes for a wave to travel through an object.

2. S and P waves are like x-rays in that differences in materials effect the amount of time that it takes for a wave to travel through different materials. By being able to time this scientists can determine the types of materials in the earth's core, because waves travel different through solids and liquids.

3. By knowing the elements of the earth's core scientists can see the factors which create the plate tectonic movements. This can possibly help them to better understand earthquakes, mountains, and other natural causes.

4. A paleoclimate data map is a map which measures the temperature climates over thousands of years. This is done by carbon dating items of the past and testing the pollen on them. The pollen allows for the scientists to tell whether the time had good weather or bad.

5. A "computer model map" takes climate readings over several years and puts them together in sequence. By doing so they are able to create almost a movie of the changing climates. This is different from the other visualization models because it is able to show the changes from past to present in an animated sequence.