Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Determining Rates Of Landscape Response To Tectonic Forcing Across A Range Of Temporal Scales And Erosional Mechanisms: Teton Range, Wy, Meredith Swallom

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Understanding how mountain landscapes respond to variations in tectonic forcing over a range of temporal scales in active mountain belts remains as a prominent challenge in tectonic and geomorphological studies. Although a number of empirical and numerical studies have examined this problem, many of them were complicated by issues of scale and climatic variability. More specifically, the relative efficiencies of fluvial and glacial erosion, which are presumably controlled by climate, are difficult to unravel. The Teton Range in Wyoming, which results from motion on the crustal-scale Teton fault, is an ideal natural laboratory for addressing this challenge as the tectonic …

Refining The Onset Timing And Slip History Along The Northern Part Of The Teton Fault, Rachel Montague Hoar

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

A new apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) dataset from subvertical transects collected in the Teton and Gallatin Ranges in the Teton-Yellowstone region provides insight for the slip history and length of the Teton fault. Along the northernmost segment of the Teton fault, inverse thermal history modeling of AHe data from Eagles Rest Peak yield a ~9 Ma age for onset of fault slip. This age supports previous interpretations that Mount Moran may be the true center of the Teton fault. This refined interpretation coupled with lengthdisplacement fault scaling analysis and previous estimates of total fault displacement (~6 km) indicates that the Teton …

Mineral Exploration And Sustainable Development: A Case Study In The Republic Of South Sudan, Cosmas Pitia Kujjo

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

South Sudan, a new country formed in 2011, has been planning to develop its mineral sector by allocating exploration licenses to investors. This decision requires preliminary knowledge of geology and mineral occurrences, both of which are unavailable because the country has been engaged in a civil war for more than 50 years. Exploration of mineral resources in South Sudan has lagged behind its petroleum industry, except for artisanal gold mining, which is practiced intermittently by local communities. Freely available satellite gravity and remote-sensing data were used to map the basement architecture as well as zones of hydrothermal alteration in the …

A Diatom Proxy For Seasonality Over The Last Three Millennia At June Lake, Eastern Sierra Nevada (Ca), Laura Caitlin Streib

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Sierra Nevada snowpack is vital to the water supply of California, the world’s sixth largest economy. Though tree ring and instrumental records show the dramatic influence of environmental change on California’s hydroclimate over the last millennium, few proxy archives assess winter precipitation variability farther back in time. Here, we use diatoms from a ~3,200 yr. old sediment core to reconstruct the paleolimnology of June Lake, a hydrologically closed glacial lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada. We test the hypothesis that limnologic and climatic changes control diatom assemblages at June Lake. Fossil diatom assemblages from June Lake sediments chiefly consist …

Temporal And Spatial Variability In Groundwater Flow And Chemistry Along The Cumberland River, Artemus, Kentucky, Amanda Rachelle Sherman

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Groundwater in the Kentucky Appalachian region is constrained by physiography and lithology. Lithostratigraphy, groundwater flow, and chemistry were delineated in the alluvial aquifer along the Cumberland River at H.L. Disney Training Center. To assess groundwater-river interactions and water quality, 11 monitoring wells were installed and sampled quarterly, plus the river and an existing bedrock well. Analytical results were evaluated for temporal and spatial trends. Collected soil cores were analyzed for bulk chemistry and grain size. Solute speciation and saturation indices were calculated and hydraulic conductivity estimated from grain-size analyses. Pumping and slug tests were performed to estimate hydraulic conductivity and …

A Joint Xrf-Δ13CCarb Chemostratigraphic Approach For Characterizing Paleo-Environmental Processes In The Mudstone-Dominated Wolfcamp Formation Of West Texas, Frank Tamakloe

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Late Paleozoic Ice Age represents a dynamic period in Earth system history recording a shift from icehouse to greenhouse conditions. Concomitant with this change was a series high-frequency, high-amplitude sea level fluctuations leading to the deposition of “Kansas type” cyclothems in the Mid-Continent, and a similar rhythmic expression of interbedded shales and carbonates in the Midland Basin. Stable isotope geochemistry is a particularly powerful tool when examining these mud-rich successions because changes in organic matter partitioning may be recorded first in δ¹³C_DIC of sea-water and consequently in δ¹³C_carb of marine rocks. The δ …

Extension Of A Quaternary-Active Shear Zone Across The Reelfoot Fault Stepover Arm: Evidence From P- And Sh-Wave Seismic Reflection Imaging, Brooks Rosandich

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Many seismic hazard source parameters such as slip rate, total displacement, strain accommodation, geographic fault location, etc. are poorly constrained in the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ). This is in large part due to the masking effect of the thick Mississippi embayment sediment package on seismogenic structures and features. Consequently, much of the subsurface geologic characterization needed for understanding seismic hazard sources requires geophysical imaging. Recent seismic reflection surveys 12 km NE of the Reelfoot Fault stepover arm of the NMSZ have suggested a northeast-oriented transpressional fault zone extending across the Reelfoot Fault stepover arm where its dextral displacement at …

Variability In Groundwater Flow And Chemistry In The Houzhai Karst Basin, Guizhou Province, China, Joshua M. Barna

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Understanding how karst aquifers store and transmit water and contaminants is an ongoing problem in hydrogeology. Flowpath and recharge heterogeneity contribute to the complexity of these systems. This thesis explores karst-conduit connectivity and water chemistry variability in the Houzhai catchment in Guizhou province, China. Artificial tracer tests were conducted during both the monsoon and dry seasons to understand temporal variability in connectivity and water velocity between karst features. Multiple flowpaths through the catchment are activated during the monsoon season and partially abandoned during the dry season. Additionally, gradient reversals during monsoonal high-flow events and as a result of pumping can …

Rethinking Karst Hazard Assessment In Kentucky, William P. Pierskalla Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Current karst hazard maps in Kentucky reflect the general lithology of the state and ignore or significantly reduce the impact of the actual sinkholes present within these areas. These maps rely on equal weighting, by area, of the Karst Potential Index (KPI) map and the sinkhole inventory map. The KPI is based on a 1:500,000 geologic map and less than 500 data points of carbonate rocks. The sinkhole inventory is derived from topographic maps updated in the 1970s with approximately 10-foot resolution. This method gives a preferential weighting of the KPI over the sinkhole data. Consequently, the current method is …

Integrated Seismic-Reflection And Microgravity Imaging Across The Southern Boundary Of The Charleston Uplift, New Madrid Seismic Zone, Usa, Drew D. Burford Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Charleston Uplift (CU), a 30-km-long by 7-km-wide, N46°E-oriented subsurface geologic anomaly in the northern Mississippi embayment near Charleston, Missouri, exhibits up to 36 m of vertical relief across the Paleogene/Quaternary unconformity. Subsurface structural relief, along with the CU’s coincident boundary alignment with contemporary microseismicity and the New Madrid North Fault (NMNF), suggest a structural origin. Subsequent seismic soundings indicate vertical structural relief is present in Cretaceous and Paleozoic horizons, supporting the fault-controlled origin. The southern boundary (CU-s) had not been investigated, nor had any direct fault images been acquired. Integrated microgravity and seismic-reflection methods across the inferred CU-s establish …

Testing For Sedimentary Recycling Using Detrital Monazite Geochronology, Zircon “Double Dating”, And Textures In Pennsylvanian Arenites Of The Central Appalachian Basin, Eastern Kentucky: Implications For Single Mineral Sedimentary Provenance Analysis, Steve C. Zotto

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Detrital monazite Th-Pb and detrital zircon U-Pb and U-Th/He double-dating coupled with sandstone petrography and exhumation rates can be used to test for sediment recycling in Pennsylvanian sandstones within the Alleghenian clastic wedge. The Alleghenian clastic wedge is a logical system in which to test for sediment recycling as four major collisional events (Grenville, Taconic, Acadian and Alleghenian orogenies) likely reworked the continental margin and recycled siliciclastic sediment. The combination of these geochronologic and thermochronologic methods provide a more accurate assessment of the proportion of recycled sediment in the Grundy Formation (sublitharenite) and the Corbin Sandstone (quartz arenite), which past …

Characterizations Of Linear Ground Motion Site Response In The New Madrid And Wabash Valley Seismic Zones And Seismicity In The Northern Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone And Rome Trough, Eastern Kentucky, Nicholas Von Seth Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The central and eastern United States is subject to seismic hazards from both natural and induced earthquakes, as evidenced by the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake sequence, consisting of at least three magnitude 7 and greater earthquakes, and by four magnitude 5 and greater induced earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2011. To mitigate seismic hazards, both earthquake sources and their effects need to be characterized.

Ground motion site response can cause additional damage to susceptible infrastructure and buildings. Recent studies indicate that Vs30, one of the primary site-response predictors used in current engineering practice, is not reliable. To investigate site response in …

Effects Of Depositional Processes On Strength And Compressibility Of Sediments Using Elastic Shear Wave Velocity, Wisam Razzaq Muttashar

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Depositional processes are the most critical, complicated conditions that govern sediment properties and their variations, which in turn significantly affect the geotechnical behavior of the sediment. The complexity of depositional and post-depositional processes, which results in a variety of depositional environments, makes constructing a plausible model for the consolidation process of sediments difficult. The mutual influence between the temporal and spatial variation of depositional environments with their resultant physical and mechanical properties cause several compression issues, such as consolidation settlement and land subsidence, which mostly occur in estuarine-riverine regions throughout the world.

The first aim of this study is proposing …

Conservation Limnogeology And Benthic Habitat Mapping In Central Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania), Joseph S. Lucas

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Small scale protected zones are valuable for helping the health and productivity of fisheries at Lake Tanganyika (East Africa). Spatial placement of protected areas relies on accurate maps of benthic habitats, consisting of detailed bathymetry data and information on lake-floor substrates. This information is unknown for most of Lake Tanganyika. Fish diversity is known to correlate with rocky substrates in ≤ 30 m water depth, which provide spawning grounds for littoral and pelagic species. These benthic habitats form important targets for protected areas, if they can be precisely located.

At the NMVA, echosounding defined the position of the 30-m isobath …

Occurrence And Attributes Of Two Echinoderm-Bearing Faunas From The Upper Mississippian (Chesterian; Lower Serpukhovian) Ramey Creek Member, Slade Formation, Eastern Kentucky, U.S.A., Ann Well Harris

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Well-preserved echinoderm faunas are rare in the fossil record, and when uncovered, understanding their occurrence can be useful in interpreting other faunas. In this study, two such faunas of the same age from separate localities in the shallow-marine Ramey Creek Member of the Slade Formation in the Upper Mississippian (Chesterian) rocks of eastern Kentucky are examined. Of the more than 5,000 fossil specimens from both localities, only 9–34 percent were echinoderms from 3–5 classes. Nine non-echinoderm (8 invertebrate and one vertebrate) classes occurred at both localities, but of these, bryozoans, brachiopods and sponges dominated. To understand the attributes of both …

Stratigraphy And Organic Geochemistry Reveal Patterns Of Late Quaternary Paleo-Productivity At Mono Lake, California, Bailee Nicole Hodelka

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Mono Lake (CA) is a hydrologically closed lacustrine basin well-known for its paleo-shorelines, which record fluctuations in water level for the last deglacial and late Holocene. Mono Lake is a sentinel of California’s water supply, situated in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range whose snowpack is a vital source of freshwater for urban and agricultural districts to the west and south. Recent droughts, floods, and wildfires show that California is threatened by climate change, but how these changes impact and get recorded by Mono Lake sediments remains poorly known. Here, we use a new radiocarbon-dated deepwater …

A Multi-Indicator Approach To Understanding The Diagenesis Of Carbonates In Pennsylvanian Mudrocks Of The Midland Basin, Alex J. Reis

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Late Pennsylvanian was a time of frequent, rapid glacioeustatic sea-level changes. These changes were recorded in the Wolfcamp D Formation of the Midland Basin as a series of cyclothems similar to those studied in the Midcontinent region (e.g., Algeo and Heckel, 2008). This study focuses on identifying the mechanisms and controls on carbonate deposition and diagenesis through the Upper Pennsylvanian Wolfcamp D Formation and evaluating the potential for these layers to be stratigraphically significant. A stepwise progression of diagenetic processes was identified through the use of δ¹³C_carb and δ¹⁸O_carb, bulk geochemical and …

Geochronological And Geochemical Constraints On The Origin Of The Cartoogechaye Terrane, Western North Carolina: Implications For The Late Precambrian To Early Paleozoic Evolution Of The Eastern Laurentian Margin, Kevin B. Walsh Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Cartoogechaye terrane (CT) is an enigmatic migmatite terrane within the Central Blue Ridge province of the southern Appalachians. Previous work identified exotic Pb isotope compositions within the CT (Quinn, 2012). More recent studies that mapped the extent of potentially exotic metaigneous lithologies yield U-Pb zircon ages consistent with a native Laurentian margin metasedimentary origin (Larkin, 2016). This study focused on the possible extent of similar lithologies in the Clyde quadrangle and provides further constraints on the crustal affinity of the CT. The Clyde quadrangle consists of four distinct lithologic packages: the CT, Ashe metamorphic suite, Great Smoky Group, and …

Hydrologic Monitoring And 2-D Electrical Resistivity Imaging For Joint Geophysical And Geotechnical Characterization Of Shallow Colluvial Landslides, Matthew M. Crawford

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Landslide characterization and hazard assessments require multidisciplinary approaches that connect geologic processes with geotechnical parameters. Field monitoring of hydrologic variables such as water content and water potential, coupled with geoelectrical measurements that can establish relationships used for geotechnical and landslide hazard investigations is deficient.

This study brings together different techniques to develop a methodology that connects geoelectrical measurements and shear strength. A field-based framework was established that includes (1) analysis of long-term soil moisture fluctuations within different landslides (2) establishment of constitutive and new equations that test the use of electrical conductivity to predict soil-water relationships and shear strength (3) …

Zircon As A Proxy For "Taking The Temperature" Of Granites: An Example Using Zircon Thermometry Applied To Grenvillian Mid-Crustal Magmas In The Blue Ridge Province, Virginia, Samantha Rae Burk

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Grenville orogeny was a protracted (~200 m.y.) series of “hot” magmatic- metamorphic events that contributed to the growth of the Laurentian margin in the late Mesoproterozoic. The granites contain remarkably high Zr content, lack xenocrysts, and become zircon saturated at high temperatures, which are all unusual for felsic magmas. The “hot Grenville granite” hypothesis is tested and use of high-Zr granitoids as potential zones of crustal magma generation through: U-Pb geochronology and cathodoluminescence imaging to assess inherited zircon components; quantitative modeling of zircon crystallization history using rhyolite-MELTS; and Ti-in-zircon thermometry. U-Pb zircon ages for two samples from the Virginia …

The Oligocene West Elk Breccia: Evidence For Massive Volcanic Debris Avalanches In The Eastern Gunnison River Valley, West-Central Colorado, U.S.A., Patrick J. Whalen

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The West Elk Breccia has been studied since the late 1800’s with many interpretations regarding its origin. One unrecognized possibility is that parts of it are debris-avalanche deposits. This study has recognized evidence for this interpretation at three scales: volcano scale, outcrop scale, and intra-outcrop scale. At the volcano scale, a scarp in the old volcano reveals underlying Mesozoic bedrock, suggesting sector collapse. At the outcrop scale, megablocks of the original edifice, up to hundreds of meters in length, have atypical orientations and are surrounded by a gravel matrix. At the intra-outcrop scale, jigsaw-fit fracturing and rip-up clasts are common …

Effects Of Hydrologic Connectivity And Land Use On Floodplain Sediment Accumulation At The Savannah River Site, South Carolina, Jeremy E. Eddy

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Floodplains, and the sediment accumulating naturally on them, are important to maintain stream water quality and serve as sinks for organic and inorganic carbon. Newer theories contend that land use and hydrologic connectivity (water-mediated transport of matter, energy, and/or organisms within or between elements of the hydrologic cycle) play important roles in determining sediment accumulation on floodplains. This study hypothesizes that changes in hydrologic connectivity have a greater impact on floodplain sediment accumulation than changes in land use. Nine sediment cores from seven sub-basins were collected from the Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina, and processed for grain-size, radionuclide dating …

Constraining Boundaries And Extent Of The Charleston Uplift, Northeast New Madrid Seismic Zone, Using Shallow Seismic Reflection Methods, Clara Rose Rucker

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

A recently identified 30 km by 7.2 km subsurface stratigraphic uplift, called the Charleston uplift, exhibits 36 m offset of Paleogene-Quaternary unconformity based on shallow borehole data. Two seismic soundings demonstrated relief in Paleozoic and Cretaceous reflectors across the northern boundary of the uplift, suggesting a structural origin rather than an erosional origin. This study collected and analyzed 18 additional shallow seismic soundings to confirm Paleozoic and Cretaceous offset across the boundaries of the uplift, to better constrain the surface trace of the uplift, and to examine potential extension into western Kentucky. One ground penetrating radar profile was taken in …

Interpretation Of The Depositional Environments And Soft-Sediment Deformation In The Upper Tanglewood Member (Upper Ordovician) Of The Lexington Limestone, Central Kentucky, U.S.A., Dibya R. Koirala

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The upper Tanglewood Member is the final member of the Lexington Limestone and is well-known for its soft-sediment deformation. This study has confirmed the carbonate-shoal-complex origin of the unit, and detailed study shows that its development took place during five small-scale, sequence-like, fining-upward cycles related to eustasy and tectonics. Four lithofacies are represented in the unit. Facies analysis of each cycle shows that the thickest and coarsest part of each cycle corresponds to previously uplifted basement-fault blocks; the occurrence of thick, coarse facies on the same fault blocks suggests that the blocks continued to experience uplift due to Taconian far-field …

Stratigraphic, Geochemical, And Geochronological Analysis Of The Wolfcamp-D Interval, Midland Basin, Texas, Zachary S. Perlman

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Subsurface data derived from ~388 ft of drill core from Martin County (TX) were used to understand the depositional setting of the Wolfcamp-D, a petroleum producing interval in the Midland Basin. Elemental geochemistry collected via x-ray fluorescence revealed a highly variable depositional history marked by the deposition of diverse siliciclastic and carbonate lithofacies. Integration of multiple datasets resulted in the interpretation of nine lithofacies, whose deposition appears cyclical. Correlations between molybdenum and total organic carbon indicate slow recharge of bottom waters and anoxic/euxinicconditions within the basin. The presence of phosphatic nodules coinciding with siliceous black mudrocks suggested high levels of …

Sedimentary Responses To Growth Fault Slip And Clay Shrink And Swell Induced Elevation Variations: East Matagorda Peninsula, Texas, Wei Ji

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

East Matagorda Peninsula in southwestern Texas is characterized geologically by active, regional-scale and near-surface growth faulting. Decimeter scale (up to 0.42 m) vertical displacement was recorded at the study site over a period of four years, not believed to be associated with growth faulting. This research tested the hypotheses that fault slip rates were correlated with sediment accumulation rates, and that the observed vertical displacement was produced by shrink-and-swell clays in near surface sediments. To quantify sediment accumulation rates, a suite of radionuclides (⁷Be, ¹³⁷Cs, and ²¹⁰Pb) were used. To understand the effects of shrink-and-swell clays, …

Fluvial-Lacustrine Processes Shaping The Landforms Of The Distal Paraguay Fluvial Megafan, Edward Limin Lo

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Tropical wetlands such as the Pantanal help regulate global biogeochemical cycles, but climate change is modifying these environments. Controls on environmental changes can potentially be assessed from ancient, well-dated lacustrine sedimentary records. An integrated field and laboratory approach was undertaken to study the limnogeology of Lake Uberaba in the northern Pantanal, and test whether the lake has preserved a reliable record of environmental change in its strata. This study was designed to understand how the basin accumulates sediment and to assess its sensitivity to hydroclimatic variability. The data showed that modern Lake Uberaba is a highly dynamic, freshwater fluvial-lacustrine basin. …

Initial Microseismic Recordings At The Onset Of Unconventional Hydrocarbon Development In The Rome Trough, Eastern Kentucky, Andrew Holcomb

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Cambrian Rogersville Shale is a part of a hydrocarbon system in the Rome Trough of eastern Kentucky and West Virginia that can only be produced unconventionally. In Kentucky, the Rogersville Shale ranges in depth from ~1,800 to ~3,700 m below the surface with the crystalline basement ~1,000 m lower than the formation’s base. Baseline Rome Trough microseismicity data were collected, focusing on wastewater injection wells and recently completed and planned unconventional hydrocarbon test wells in the Rogersville Shale, using thirteen broadband seismic stations installed between June, 2015 and June, 2016 and existing University of Kentucky and central and eastern …

Potential Field Modeling Across The Neodymium Line Defining The Paleoproterozoic-Mesoproterozoic Boundary Of The Southeastern Margin Of Laurentia, Rachel Lauren Durham

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

A zone of high magnetization along the SE margin of Paleoproterozoic Laurentia in the United States is indicated by magnetic anomaly data. The SE edge corresponds to the geochemical Neodymium mantle derivation model age (T_DM) boundary and the entire anomaly overlies the Paleoproterozoic Mazatzal Province. Two-dimensional gravity and magnetic models across the Nd boundary are created with Moho constrained from receiver functions with gravity, sedimentary thickness and the base of the crustal magnetization. Upper crustal magnetization does not show strong variation across this boundary and much of the strong magnetization appears to lie in the middle crust. Using …

Use And Evaluation Of Lidar For Mapping Sinkholes In Royal Spring Groundwater Basin, Fidele Nsonguh Tibouo

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

This study utilizes a digital elevation model of the surface derived from high-resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and aerial-image technologies to map sinkholes in the Royal Spring groundwater basin. Shade-relief maps, with vertical exaggeration, were very helpful in the initial characterization of depressions. Then, aerial-photography sets were likewise helpful in identifying man-made structures such as retention basins, swimming pools, and parking lots, and to identify new sinkholes.

Field checking was necessary to further define depressions into two categories: 1.) potential sinkholes and 2.) probable sinkholes. This study had a lower success rate (50 percent) for identifying sinkholes via LiDAR …