Natural, Technological, and

Human-Induced Disasters  

EATS1410 6.0A

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Welcome. Eats1410 is designed for science and non-science students alike and is open to all students with the exception of students in the Earth and Space Science and Engineering  (ESSE) program.  It is also a required course as part of York University’s  Atkinson  Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies Undergraduate Professional Certificate in Emergency Management ( http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/SAS/emc.html ).  There are no prerequisites for the course.  Simple numerical evaluations and some high school algebra will be used on occasion.  

The overall objective is to examine the science of natural, technological, and human-induced disasters.  The course will focus on the science behind these events and address the causes, predictability, and monitoring techniques, and potential of mitigating the impact of the event on the environment and society.  An understanding of the scientific basis of catastrophic events is important to identifying and assessing risks and essential to developing better mitigation, preparedness response, and recover measures. Case studies of selected disasters are integral to the course.

NOTE:  This course does not have a LABORATORY component, and therefore does NOT meet Science lab requirements .

This site is under construction.   Please report mistakes to maj@yorku.ca

 

Useful Information

Course Lecturers and Teaching Assistants (TAs) and How to Contact

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Special Guest Lectures

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Important Class Announcements and professor’s lecture notes

Click for Fall . Click for Winter.

Links to Disaster-Related Websites

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Textbooks

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Grading Scheme and Current Grades

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Classes and Tutorials

Classroom Location and Schedule of Lectures, Tutorials, Assignments, and Tests

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Tutorial Assignments (Download)

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Homework Reading Assignments (Download)

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

On-line Course Material (Download)

Click for Fall. Click for Winter.

Course Content

Fall 2005

1. Introduction to the atmospheric system

2. Weather principles, air pollution, air contamination

3. Supercell storms

4. Tornadoes

5. Hailstorms

6. Microbursts

7. Hurricanes

8. Drought and extreme heat

9. Ice storms, snow storms, and blizzards

10. Nuclear winter

11. Wildfires

Winter 2006

12. Introduction to the Earth system

13. Plant tectonic theory

14. Earthquake basics, seismic waves and magnitude

15. Volcanoes

16. Mass movements and landslides

17. Tsunamis

18. Asteroids and meteor impacts

Fall 2005 and Winter 2006

19. Oil spills, soil and water contamination

20. Cyberspace strengths and vulnerabilities

21. Power blackouts

22. Nuclear accidents and meltdowns

23. Introduction to epidemics and biological threats such as SARS, avian flu, anthrax

 

How to succeed

Come to class

Attend all classes and take notes. Get a “buddy” and be one so that you can exchange lecture notes when you do miss a class.

Check website regularly

Check this website for Important Class Announcements ( click here ) and your WebCT account.

Read textbook and lecture notes, and any supplementary material, before coming to class

You may be required to download supplementary reading material from this website ( click here ) or from your WebCT account.

Make use of online tutorials

Form an online study group so that you can exchange ideas and information and help each other.  These will be conducted through WebCT.

“Attend” tutorials

Attend all on-line tutorials and use the time to work through the tutorial assignments with the help of the TAs.

Meet deadlines

Hand in tutorial assignments when they are due (for fall schedule, click here ; for winter schedule, click here ).  There is a 10% penalty for each day an assignment is late.  Either hand in your assignments during lecture  periods or give your assignments to Paola Panaro, 102 Petrie Science and Engineering Building (PSE), or to the professor’s office (fall maj@yorku.ca ; winter apanahi@yorku.ca ).

Ask and answer questions

Please participate.  Use the on-line tutorial help, “talk” to your TA, contact your lecturer.

Do not miss a test

It is vital that you make every effort to write tests as scheduled (fall schedule, click here ; winter schedule, click here ).   Failure to attend a test without reasonable cause ( click here ) means a zero grade for that test.

Special needs and circumstances

Notify lecturer (fall maj@yorku.ca ; winter apanahi@yorku.ca ) as soon as possible if you have any relevant special needs or circumstances.

Course Lecturers and Teaching Assistants (TAs) and How to Contact

 

To provide the attention you need when you need it, we have On-line tutorials through WebCT, where Teaching Assistants are on duty to answer your questions with WebCT’s Communication and Discussion.  If you still cannot get an adequate answer using WebCT course tools, then by all means contact the lecturer of the relevant term.

 

Fall 2005

 

 

Winter  2006

Special Guest Lectures

Guest lectures from provincial and national agencies and York University and other universities are anticipated to permit effective instruction on the wide array of topics and to effectively present lessons learned from past natural, technological, and human-induced disasters.  We will attempt to provide Canadian content through analysis of selected case studies from Walkerton, Red River and Peterborough floods, Eastern Ontario ice storm, B.C. forest fires, Barrie and Edmonton tornadoes, Newfoundland ice flood, SARS, Mississauga train derailment, BSE, 9/11, anthrax scare and the Ontario blackout.  

Fall 2005

To be determined.  Will be updated as necessary.

Winter 2006

To be determined.  Will be updated as necessary.

 

Important Class Announcements

Fall 2005

Download lectures 1, 2, 3, and 4, and assignments 1 and 2 using your WebCT account. Check calendar for due dates and upcoming events.  A special reading assignment associated with material in Chapter 4 is also available from WebCT.

Winter 2006

Currently there are no class announcements.  To be determined.

Links to Disaster-Related Websites

Fall 2005

The web link for you to examine is   http://severewx.atmos.uiuc.edu /.

Winter 2006

Currently no web links. To be determined.

Textbooks

Fall 2005

Textbook is Severe and Hazardous Weather, 2nd Edition, by Robert M. Rauber, John E. Walsh, and Donna J. Charlevoix, ISBN 0-7872-9419-5 paperback, ISBN 0-7575-1754-4, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.  You can purchase it from York’s Textbook Store or Unitext, 4699 Keele Street, Units 1,2, and 3 (across Keele Street, from main entrance to York University), or directly from publisher Kendall/Hunt ( http://www.kendallhunt.com /) or search the web for other possibilities.  One copy will be on reserve at York’s Steacie Science Library.  The previous edition is also acceptable.  

Winter 2006

Textbook is Natural Disasters, 4th Edition, by Patrick L. Abbott, ISBN 0-07-252809-5 paperback, McGraw-Hill. You can purchase it from York’s Textbook Store or Unitext,(see Fall 2005), or directly from publisher McGraw-Hill ( http://ebooks.primisonline.com/eBookstore/index.jsp ) or search the web for other possibilities.  One copy  will be on reserve at York’s Steacie Science Library.  Previous editions are also acceptable.

Grading Scheme and Current Grades

Fall 2005

 

Grades for assignments and tests will be posted and updated when available.

Winter 2006 (tentative)

Grades for assignments and tests will be posted when available.

 

Remember to bring your student photo ID, pencils, and eraser to every test.

 

Please inform the lecturer IN ADVANCE if you will be unable to write a scheduled test by sending an email message directly to the lecturer (fall maj@yorku.ca ;  winter apanahi@yorku.ca ). Only those absences for short-term illness, emotional difficulties, family emergencies, or special approved activities will be accepted. Medical or emotional reasons for missing a scheduled test require a note from your doctor, counselor, or other health practitioner.  Any exceptions to these policies will be at the lecturer’s discretion.

 

Schedule of Lectures, Tutorials, Assignments, and Tests

Lectures are Mondays, 4 to 7 pm in the New Accolade Building West Wing (ACW), Room 206.  Following calendar gives dates for lectures, tutorials, assignments, tests, and special events. Term tests are held in 206 ACW during regular class time. Check this calendar regularly, as events, locations, and dates may change.  Locations for winter and spring exams have yet to be determined and will be announced when that information is available.

 

Fall 2005:

 

 

** Students enrolled in the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies Undergraduate Professional Certificate in Emergency Management are encouraged to attend the Annual CRHNET Symposium, Nov 17 to 18 ( www.crhnet.ca ).

 

 

Winter 2006

 

 

 

Downloads

Done using York’s WebCT.  If you do not have a WebCT account, then visit   http://www.yorku.ca/computing/ and follow links to activate your account and to obtain instructions on how to use WebCT.

Tutorial Assignments (Download)

Fall 2005

Assignments 1 and 2 are available on WebCT.   Please download.   We will announce the first On-Line tutorial to deal with this assignment.

 

Winter 2006

Currently there is no tutorial material to download. To be determined.

Homework Reading Assignments (Download)

Fall 2005

Lectures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are available on WebCT.  

Your current reading assignment is to read Lectures and Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the textbook.

A special reading assignment associated with the ‘Butterfly effect’  discussed in Lecture 4 is also

available on WebCT .

 

Winter 2006

Currently there are no homework reading assignments or supplementary reading materials to download. To be determined.

On-line Course Material (Download)

Fall 2005

A special reading assignment associated with the ‘Butterfly effect’  discussed in Lecture 4 is also

available on WebCT.

  

Winter 2006

Currently there is no supplemental on-line course material to download. To be determined.