Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and the South Coast to be Focus of UCSB Affiliates 'Science Lite' Lecture

The devastating earthquake in Southeast Asia in December 2004 and the resulting tsunami that killed more than 280,000 people have generated public concern about the possibility of such events occurring close to home.

UC Santa Barbara seismologist Ralph Archuleta will deliver a "Science Lite" lecture titled "Tsunamis and Earthquakes, A Double Hit" focusing on the South Coastóan area vulnerable to both earthquakes and tsunamis.

He will discuss the natural hazards residents face today and examine the history of these potentially destructive events.

The public lecture will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall at 21 East Constance Avenue in Santa Barbara.

Archuleta, a distinguished professor of geological sciences, specializes in observing, analyzing, and predicting strong motion from earthquakes.

A researcher in UCSB's Institute for Crustal Studies, he earned his Ph.D. in earth science at the Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

The cost of the lecture is $8 for General Affiliates or Chancellor's Council members, $10 for non-members.

Contact the UCSB Office of Community Relations at 893-4388 to register, as space is limited.

Science Lite is a UCSB Affiliates program of events for non-scientists interested in gaining a fundamental understanding of science and technology, as well as those interested in keeping up with advances in science.