Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Geology Of The Birdseye 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Utah County, Utah:Â Implications For Mid-Cenozoic Extension And Deposition Of The Moroni Formation, Don L. Bagshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Geologic structures within the Birdseye 7.5 minute quadrangle Utah County, Utah have been related by previous workers to both the Jurassic Arapien Shale diapirism and to the mid-Cenozoic extensional collapse of the Charleston-Nebo Thrust. Whichever model proves valid, it will have implications for oil exploration and interpretation of the subsurface geologic structure in the region. A detailed map of the quadrangle was constructed to better constrain which mechanism was responsible for the deformation. Exposures of Arapien Shale near, and within the Birdseye quadrangle show no evidence of diapiric movement. Arapien involvement in the deformation of Tertiary rocks in the center …

Digital Outcrop Model And Paleoecology Of The Eight-Foot Rapid Algal Field (Middle Pennsylvanian Lower Ismay Sequence), Paradox Basin, Utah, Colton Lynn Goodrich

Theses and Dissertations

Although phylloid algal mounds have been studied for 50 year, much remains to be determined concerning the ecology and sedimentology of these Late Paleozoic carbonate buildups. Herein we perform a digital outcrop study of the well-known Middle Pennsylvanian Lower Ismay mound interval in the Paradox Basin because outcropping mounds along the San Juan River are cited as outcrop analogs of reservoir carbonates in the Paradox Basin oil province of Utah and adjacent states. The principal field area is the Eight Foot algal field located at river mile 19.2 on the San Juan River, approximately 14 miles SSW of Bluff, Utah. …

Deformation And Fluid Interactions In The Mineral Fork Diamictites, Antelope Island, Utah, Kimberly Rose Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DEFORMATION AND FLUID INTERACTIONS IN THE MINERAL FORK DIAMICTITES,

ANTELOPE ISLAND, UTAH

by

Kimberly R. Johnson

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2013

Under the Supervision of Professor Dyanna Czeck

Diamictite from the Mineral Fork Formation on Antelope Island, Utah was deformed to various degrees on the footwall of the Willard Thrust Fault during the Sevier Orogeny. The diamictite contains clasts of differing strength resulting in quartzite clasts deformed the least, pink granitic clasts deformed to a greater degree, and softer green gneissic clasts deformed the most. The pink granitic and green gneissic clasts have similar compositions, but deform differently. This …

A Bond Valence-Based Force Field: A Multi-Body Approach, Matthew Harris Davis

Theses and Dissertations

The typical form for a molecular mechanics force field consists of a foundation of pair-wise terms to describe bonded and non-bonded atomic interactions, with multi-body correction terms to deal with the limitations of pair-wise terms. I present here the first attempts of a molecular mechanics model that is founded on multi-body terms, which are based on the Bond Valence Model (Brown, 2002) and recent developments in the Vectorial Bond Valence Model (Bickmore et al., 2013a; Harvey et al., 2006). I calibrated these models on pressure vs. energy curves for a set of SiO2 polymorphs. The average deviation for the best-fit …

Development Of Green Solvent Modified Zeolite (Gsmz) For The Removal Of Chemical Contaminants From Water, Elizabeth Stapleton

Theses and Dissertations

Sorption represents an important strategy in the remediation of groundwater contamination. As a naturally-occurring mineral with large cation exchange capacity, zeolite is negatively charged and has been widely used as an inexpensive and effective sorbent for the removal of positively charged contaminants. The negative charges of zeolite, however, make it generally ineffective in the sorption of anionic contaminants such as chromate and arsenate. In order to improve the capacity for sorption of anionic species, the surface charge of the zeolite must be modified. Cationic surfactants can be used to alter the surface charge of the minerals so that the negatively …

Re-Examination Of Changes In Fluvial Stacking Pattern Across The P-T Boundary In The Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica, Danielle Sieger

Theses and Dissertations

A change in fluvial style and a change in the stacking pattern of fluvial channel sandstone bodies occur across the Buckley‒Fremouw formational contact in the central Transantarctic Mountains in Antarctica. Strata in the Buckley Formation are characterized by thick floodplain deposits in the Middle to Upper Permian Buckley Formation; whereas, stacked interconnected sandstone bodies occur in the Triassic Fremouw Formation (Barrett et al., 1986; Isbell & Macdonald, 1991a, 1991b; Collinson et al., 1994; Isbell et al., 1997; 2005). Such changes in fluvial stacking patterns have been attributed to changes in the creation of accommodation within basins due to changes in …

Exploring Connections Between A Very Large Volume Ignimbrite And An Intracaldera Pluton: Intrusions Related To The Oligocene Wah Wah Springs Tuff, Western Us, Chloe Noelle Skidmore

Theses and Dissertations

The Wah Wah Springs Tuff and the Wah Wah Springs Intrusive Granodiorite Porphyry(Wah Wah Springs Intrusion) both originated from the Indian Peak caldera complex, which wasa major focus of explosive silicic activity in the middle Cenozoic Great Basin ignimbrite flareup. This caldera formed 30.0 Ma when an estimated 5,900 km3 of crystal-rich dacitic magma erupted to create the Wah Wah Springs Tuff. The Wah Wah Springs Intrusion later intruded the tuff, causing resurgence of the caldera. Field, modal, and geochemical evidence suggest the tuff and intrusion are cogenetic. The mineral assemblages of the two rocks are similar: both include similar …

Late Paleozoic Glaciation And Ice Sheet Collapse Over Western And Eastern Gondwana: Sedimentology And Stratigraphy Of Glacial To Post-Glacial Strata In Western Argentina And Tasmania, Australia, Lindsey C. Henry

Theses and Dissertations

The late Paleozoic ice age (LPIA; 345-280 million years ago) provides the last complete record of a major deglaciation on a vegetated Earth, and therefore can serve as a proxy for Earth's inevitable transition out of its present glaciated state. This project analyzes climate change during and following the LPIA using two different approaches:

1) Detailed sedimentology analyses of five glacially-influenced formations in Argentina and Australia in order to determine the size and thermal regime of glaciers during the LPIA.

2) An investigation of massive volcanism along the Panthalassan margin of Gondwana as a source of CO2 that may have …

Facies And Reservoir Characterization Of The Permian White Rim Sandstone, Black Box Dolomite, And Black Dragon Member Of The Triassic Moenkopi Formation For Co2 Storage And Sequestration At Woodside Field, East-Central Utah, Walter Andrew Harston

Theses and Dissertations

Geologic sequestration of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) greenhouse gas emissions is an engineering solution that potentially reduces CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere thereby limiting their effect on climate change. This study focuses on Woodside field as a potential storage and sequestration site for CO2 emissions. The Woodside field is positioned on a doubly plunging, asymmetrical anticline on the northeast flank of the San Rafael Swell. Particular focus will be placed on the Permian White Rim Sandstone, Black Box Dolomite and Black Dragon Member of the Triassic Moenkopi Formation as the reservoir/seal system to store and sequester CO2 at Woodside …

Toward A Better Understanding Of Recent Warming Of The Central West Antarctic Ice Sheet From Shallow Firn Cores, Jessica Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies have shown significant warming through the 1990s in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS); but the records used in those studies end in early 2000, preventing trend analysis into the latest decade. Fourteen new snowpits and firn cores were collected in 2010 and 2011, which have been combined with previous cores to extend the isotopic records over WAIS. Significance of these isotopic patterns across WAIS was determined and is used to re-evaluate the warming of the West Antarctic interior over recent decades. We find that isotopic records longer than 50 years are needed to assess climate trends due …

Geomechanics And Elastic Anisotropy Of The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Mehdi Ostadhassan

Theses and Dissertations

Many of the earth’s rocks exhibit anisotropic characteristics. Anisotropy is particularly common in many sedimentary rocks, such as shales. Anisotropy is defined as the spatial alignment of mineral grains, layers, fractures and stresses which causes elastic wave velocity and other elastic properties to vary with direction. There are two types of anisotropy: intrinsic and stress-induced. Intrinsic anisotropy is caused by beddings, microstructures or aligned fractures formed during deposition. Stress-induced anisotropy is caused by strain associated with external stresses. Intrinsic anisotropy originates in the absence of external stresses, while stress-induced anisotropy results from tectonic and overburden stresses. The style of earth …

Research About Low Permeability Measurement, Jun He

Theses and Dissertations

Petroleum exploration and production from shale formations have gained great attention throughout the world in the last decade. Producing the hydrocarbons from shale is challenging because of the low porosity and permeability. It is imperative to investigate permeability of the shale formations in order to better understand the performance of wells that are producing hydrocarbons from shale. Permeability is also one of key parameters in modeling fluids flow in matrix in reservoir simulation. Due to the low or very low permeability, the measurement of permeability is time consuming and expensive. These factors often limited the ability to perform permeability measurement …

Volcanic And Tectonic Processes Along Anomalous Mid-Ocean Ridges, Julia Kathryn Howell

Theses and Dissertations

The morphological and structural characteristics of the global spreading ridge system are systematically related to spreading rate and magma supply (e.g. Macdonald, 1982). Because intermediate spreading-rate ridges (ISRs) spreading between 60 and 80 mm/yr have characteristics of both fast and slow spreading ridges, they are ideal environments to study the differences controlling upper crustal accretion. We examine the distribution of seamounts along spreading ridges to understand the relationship between seamount volcanism and axial morphology along four ISRs: the Juan de Fuca Ridge (JdFR), the Galápagos Spreading Centers (GSC), the Southeast Indian Ridge (SEIR), and the Eastern Lau Spreading Centers (ELSC). …

Hydraulic Fracturing Design For Horizontal Wells In The Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, Hadi Jabbari

Theses and Dissertations

Unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs have proved to be challenging in terms of reservoir characterization, predicting production potential, estimating ultimate recovery, and optimizing hydraulic fracture stimulations. The methods by which these resources are extracted use progressive, or unconventional, technologies. Today, through the use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, extraordinary amounts of oil and natural gas from deep shale formations across the United States and around the world are being safely produced.

Performing a hydraulic fracture design requires modeling of fracture propagation and tracking the fluid front in the created fracture. In this dissertation, the roles of all effective parameters and properties …

Correcting Heat Flow Data In The United States To Account For Climate Change, Godswill Njoku

Theses and Dissertations

Heat flow measurements may require correction for both recent warming and post-glacial warming signals. Warming during the last century can be detected in borehole temperature profiles. Both climate warming signals during the past century and post-glacial warming signals during the past 10 millennia are greatest near the surface and diminish with depth.

Both atmospheric data and borehole temperature data show that recent warming varies systematically with latitude along a north-south transect in the United States. The systematic increase with latitude from +0.7 oC at 41.6oN to +2.3 oC at 49oN during the last century is consistent with the prediction that …

Tidal Flux Of Trace Metals And Rare Earth Elements In A Barrier Island Salt Marsh, Ryan Antle

Theses and Dissertations

Barrier island salt marshes are known as sources of nutrients to the coastal ocean but it is unclear whether they are also sources or sinks of trace metals in regards to coastal waters. Salt marshes are characterized by steep redox and biogeochemical gradients, which constantly fluctuate as a result of tidal pumping. While several studies have examined metal budgets between terrestrial fresh water, estuarine subterranean fluids, and coastal saline waters, there is little data regarding fluid chemistry for metals in salt water estuaries in the absence of fresh water input. This study investigated a back barrier salt marsh on Cabretta …

Subsurface Imaging And Petrophysical Analysis Of The South Georgia Rift Basin, South Carolina, Olusoga Martins Akintunde

Theses and Dissertations

The Triassic-Jurassic South Georgia Rift (SGR) basin, buried beneath Coastal Plain sediments of southern South Carolina, southeastern Georgia, western Florida, and southern Alabama, consists of an assemblage of continental rift deposits (popularly called red beds), and mafic igneous rocks (basalt flows and diabase sills). The red beds are capped by basalts and/or diabase sills, and constitute the target for supercritical CO2 storage as part of a Department of Energy funded project to study feasibility for safe and long-term sequestration. This study addresses key stratigraphic, structural and petrophysical issues critical to determine subsurface suitability for CO2 storage as well as improved …

Tectonics Of The South Georgia Rift, David Michael Heffner

Theses and Dissertations

Triassic rifting of the supercontinent Pangea left behind numerous basins on what is now the eastern North American margin. The South Georgia Rift (SGR) was thought to be the best preserved of these basins having been capped by thick basalt flows of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) and later buried beneath the Cretaceous and younger Coastal Plain. Because it is buried beneath the Coastal Plain, the SGR is only known through sparse drilling and geophysical methods. Despite this limited dataset, the SGR is the only one of the eastern North American Triassic basins known to overlie the ancient Alleghanian …

Benthic Boundary Layer Processes: Bedform Evolution And Bottom Turbulence, Timothy Robert Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Bedform roughness, caused by ripples on the seabed, plays an important role in controlling sediment dynamics in the nearshore region. In this dissertation, the temporal and spatial evolution of ripples from two field sites located in the South Atlantic Bight, offshore Long Bay, SC and Georgia are used to relate wave-induced ripple geometry (wavelength and orientation) to near bed directional wave velocities. 2-D spectral analysis techniques were developed to automate detection of ripple wavelength, direction, and irregularity. This analysis showed that magnitude, direction, and duration of wave forcing controls ripple geometry and irregularity. During highly energetic events, ripple geometry changes …

Geochemical Source Components In Seafloor Lavas In The Aleutian Back-Arc, Max Thomas Siegrist

Theses and Dissertations

Whole-rock compositions of seafloor lavas are used to constrain the processes and source characteristics contributing to the formation of geochemically distinctive, primitive magma types located in the Aleutian back-arc. Samples were dredged primarily from small volcanic cones on the seafloor, located between the emergent volcanoes and in the back-arc up to 60 km from the volcanic front. Compositions vary from basalt to dacite, with 48-70 % SiO₂ and 4-13 % MgO. Nearly 30% of the samples are primitive, with Mg/Mg+Fe >0.60. Most primitive samples are basalts, which fall into two groups, based on minor and trace element abundances. Low/med-K …

Amplitude Vs. Offset Effects On Gas Hydrates At Woolsey Mound, Gulf Of Mexico, Walter R. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the estimated massive quantities of natural methane hydrates, they represent one of the largest sources of future alternative energy on Earth. Methane hydrates have been found in the shallow sub-seafloor of the Northern Gulf of Mexico where the water depth is in excess of ~900 m. Mississippi Canyon Block 118 has been chosen by the Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium to be the site of a multi-sensor, multi-discipline sea-floor observatory for gas hydrate research. First evidence for gas hydrates at MC 118 was observed at Woolsey Mound. Subsurface evidence for gas hydrates has subsequently been substantiated by …

Geophysical Investigation And Assessment Of The Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area, Rye Patch, Nevada, Mark Richmond Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

A gravity and ground-based magnetic survey was conducted at the Rye Patch Known Geothermal Resource Area located at Rye Patch, Nevada. The purpose of the study was to attempt to further delineate the geothermal reservoir and/or to identify potential drilling targets. The survey consisted of collecting data at 264 new stations to augment data from 203 stations collected in 2008. Information from previous seismic, aeromagnetic and geochemical investigations was also examined and incorporated. Filtering methods including removal of a polynomial trend surface and wavelength filtering were utilized on the gravity data to remove the strong regional overprint caused by the …

Lithological And Sequence Stratigraphic Examination Of The Madison Group Marker Beds, Eastern Williston Basin Margin, North Dakota, Troy Jd. Skitt

Theses and Dissertations

The Frobisher-Alida interval consists of eight log-defined subintervals or “beds” within the Mississippian upper Mission Canyon and lower Charles Formations of the Madison Group in the Williston Basin. The subintervals are composed of predominantly evaporite and carbonate lithologies, and include in descending order: 1) Midale, 2) Rival, 3) Bluell, 4) Sherwood, 5) Mohall, 6) Glenburn, 7) Wayne, and 8) Landa. The top of the lower six subintervals are separated by thin but areal extensive log-defined markers of contrasting lithologies and include in descending order: 1) State A, 2) Sherwood Argillaceous Marker (S.A.M.), 3) K-1, 4) K-2, 5) K-3, and 6) …