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Seismic St. Louis

Emily Sekine
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I'm interested in better understanding the ongoing geological processes that shape St. Louis and the Mississippi Valley region. So far, I've been looking into the history of seismicity in the region, focusing on the fascinating but little known history of the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 -- the most devastating earthquakes to have hit the US east of the Rockies. I've also been exploring how St. Louis and surrounding areas are dealing with the possibility of another earthquake occurring in the future. According to one article I read, one of the biggest uncertainties is what would happen to the heavily engineered Mississippi River in the case of another major tremblor. The shaking could break the levees, flooding wide areas along the river and creating cascading effects. The flow of the river might also reverse completely, as occurred during the New Madrid earthquakes.

On these possibilities and the lack of scientific consensus surrounding intraplate seismicity in this zone, see this article in The Atlantic.

On current efforts to create earthquake hazard maps in St. Louis, see this overview on the US Geological Survey site.

For a deeper dive into the history of the New Madrid earthquakes, see this book by historian of science Conevery Bolton Valencius. 

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seanw146
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Psychological first aid (PFA) administration is the main focus of the emergency response solution.

PFA has eight main action items to administration:

Contact and engagement, safety and comfort, stabilization, information gathering: current needs and concerns, practical assistance, connection with social supports, information on coping, and linkage with collaborative services. (nctsn.org)

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seanw146
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This report contains five main topics: the radioactive contamination of the environment, environmental countermeasures and remediation, human exposure levels, radiation induced effects on plants and animals, environmental and radioactive waste management aspects of the dismantling of the Chernobyl shelter.

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seanw146
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The IAEA’s approach is to be a friend of the countries and nuclear partners of those countries which hold IAEA membership. One of the IAEA’s missions is to promote nuclear power while on the other hand its other mission is to promote safety and check adherence to the nuclear treaties, agreements, and standards.

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seanw146
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1) “When tuberculosis treatment fails. A social behavioral account of patient adherence.” By Sumartojo E. Describes the demographic and cultural factors in monitoring and improving adherence to TB regiments.

2) “Racial differences in the use of drug therapy for HIV disease in an urban community.” By Moore RD, Stanton D, Gopalan R, Chaisson RE. Blacks were found to be less likely to receive therapy than whites even when gender, social status, age, and place of residence had no effect on variation in treatment. In emergency response, a similar issue is possible.

3) “Women's voices rise as Rwanda reinvents itself” by Lacey M. This article helps in understanding the long term effects emergencies leave on a country, namely the Rwanda Genocide of 1994. 

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seanw146
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1) Culling animals to control disease outbreak. World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (http://www.oie.int/doc/ged/D2704.PDF)

2) Main bio-threats to US national security. Department of Homeland Security (DHS): (https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/prep_biological_fact_sheet.pdf)

3) Main bio-threats to developing countries. The National Academies Press: (https://www.nap.edu/read/12596/chapter/5#48)