This document defines and describes several key characteristics used to analyze natural hazards and disasters, including magnitude, frequency, duration, areal extent, spatial concentration, and speed of onset. It also mentions return period and provides a diagram showing the relationships between magnitude and frequency and between magnitude and return period for different natural hazards like tropical cyclones, droughts, and earthquakes.

1. CHARACTERIZING HAZARDS AND DISASTERS:
• MAGNITUDE: size of the event measured on a scale
• FREQUENCY: how often does a sizeable event occur
• DURATION: length of time during which the event occurs
• AREAL EXTENT: size of area affected, ranging from very localized to regional
event
• SPATIAL CONCENTRATION: distribution of hazard over space
• SPEED OF ONSET: time difference between start and peak of event, from very
rapid to very slow
• REGULARITY (return period): some volcanoes, for example, have a very long
return period. El Niño droughts are on a 3-5 year cycle
Create a diagram showing the relationship between magnitude and frequency, and
between magnitude and return period

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL HAZARDS
Tropical cyclones Droughts Earthquakes
FREQUENCY Frequent
Rare
DURATION Long
Short
AREAL EXTENT Widespread
Limited
SPATIAL Diffuse
Concentrated
CONCENTRATION
SPEED OF ONSET Slow
Fast
Characterize the three natural hazards listed for each criteria