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USGS Report on the East Coast Earthquake 28 words

August 24, 2011 By Ben Zimmer (New York, NY) Vocabulary.com Contributor Vocabulary.com Moderator
"Magnitude-5.8 Earthquake Strikes National Capital Area"
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2898

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. earthquake
    shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane of from volcanic activity
    Magnitude-5.8 Earthquake Strikes National Capital Area
  2. aftershock
    a tremor (or one of a series of tremors) occurring after the main shock of an earthquake
    There have been several aftershocks.
  3. epicenter
    the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
    Thus, western earthquakes result in intense shaking close to the epicenter, but fade more quickly the farther the earthquakes travel.
  4. magnitude
    the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small)
    Magnitude-5.8 Earthquake Strikes National Capital Area
  5. seismic
    subject to or caused by an earthquake or earth vibration
    The earthquake occurred in the Central Virginia Seismic Zone, which has produced earthquakes in the past.
  6. geologic
    of or relating to or based on geology
    The earthquake was felt so widely because it was a shallow earthquake, and geologic conditions in the eastern U.S. allow the effects of earthquakes to propagate and spread much more efficiently than in the western United States.
  7. eastern United States
    the region of the United States lying to the north of the Ohio River and to the east of the Mississippi River
    Over 10,000 reports of felt shaking have already been received from more than 3400 zip codes all over the eastern United States.
  8. national capital
    the capital city of a nation
    Magnitude-5.8 Earthquake Strikes National Capital Area
  9. Appalachians
    a mountain range in the eastern United States extending from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico; a historic barrier to early westward expansion of the United States
    It was a shallow earthquake, and shaking was recorded all along the Appalachians, from Georgia to New England.
  10. Department of the Interior
    the United States federal department charged with conservation and the development of natural resources; created in 1849
    The information provided by the USGS is part of a government-wide response effort, in coordination with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House.
  11. 24/7
    uptime is 24 hours a day 7 days a week
    The USGS operates a 24/7 National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., that can be reached for more information at (303) 273-8500.
  12. Department of Homeland Security
    the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security
    The information provided by the USGS is part of a government-wide response effort, in coordination with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House.
  13. western United States
    the region of the United States lying to the west of the Mississippi River
    The earthquake was felt so widely because it was a shallow earthquake, and geologic conditions in the eastern U.S. allow the effects of earthquakes to propagate and spread much more efficiently than in the western United States.
  14. coordination
    the regulation of diverse elements into an integrated and harmonious operation
    The information provided by the USGS is part of a government-wide response effort, in coordination with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House.
  15. propagate
    multiply sexually or asexually
    The earthquake was felt so widely because it was a shallow earthquake, and geologic conditions in the eastern U.S. allow the effects of earthquakes to propagate and spread much more efficiently than in the western United States.
  16. hazard
    an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
    The USGS provides information on how you can prepare at the Earthquake Hazards Program Website .
  17. predict
    make a prediction about; tell in advance
    Earthquakes cannot be predicted.
  18. casualty
    someone injured or killed in an accident
    No casualties are expected.
  19. shaking
    the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
    A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck the National Capital Area on Tuesday, August 23, at 1:51p.m. (EDT), causing moderate shaking and potentially significant damage, and was felt throughout Northern Virginia and neighboring areas.
  20. efficiently
    with efficiency; in an efficient manner
    The earthquake was felt so widely because it was a shallow earthquake, and geologic conditions in the eastern U.S. allow the effects of earthquakes to propagate and spread much more efficiently than in the western United States.
  21. scientist
    a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences
    The most notable was an earthquake that occurred in 1875 that scientists believe was about a magnitude 4.5.
  22. timing
    the regulation of occurrence, pace, or coordination to achieve a desired effect (as in music, theater, athletics, mechanics)
    Scientists cannot predict the timing of specific earthquakes.
  23. absorb
    suck or take up or in
    Western rock is relatively young, which means it absorbs a lot of the shaking caused by earthquakes.
  24. recorded
    set down or registered in a permanent form especially on film or tape for reproduction
    It was a shallow earthquake, and shaking was recorded all along the Appalachians, from Georgia to New England.
  25. shallow
    lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
    It was a shallow earthquake, and shaking was recorded all along the Appalachians, from Georgia to New England.
  26. information
    knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
    The information provided by the USGS is part of a government-wide response effort, in coordination with the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House.
  27. impact
    the striking of one body against another
    In the eastern United States, on the other hand, the rock is far older, and so earthquakes can have a much larger and more widespread impact.
  28. widespread
    widely circulated or diffused
    In the eastern United States, on the other hand, the rock is far older, and so earthquakes can have a much larger and more widespread impact.