Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Landscape/Atmosphere Interactions And Carbon-Dioxide Dynamics In The Great Onyx Groundwater Basin, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, Meghan Raines

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An increase in atmospheric CO2 since the Industrial Revolution has altered rates of global climate change and has motivated a need to better quantify the flux of carbon between Earth’s reservoirs. Attempts to quantify the exchange of atmospheric carbon between sources and sinks have led to an increasing interest in the terrestrial landscape, including the continental carbon sink associated with carbonate-mineral dissolution. This research sought to better inform an understanding of karst landscapes and their relationship with global climate change through carbon cycling. The study utilized high-resolution data collection of pH, temperature, and specific conductance of waters in the Cascade …

Impacts Of Forest Management And Timber Harvest Practices On Karst Critical Zone Processes In Tongass National Forest, Alaska, Anna Gwendolyn Harris

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study characterizes the throughfall, hydrogeochemistry, dissolution rates, and carbon sources of two proximate temperate rainforest cave systems within the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska (Tongass). Study sites include: an old-growth forest, characterized by having never been logged (containing Walkabout Cave system); and a previously logged – within thirty years, second-growth forest (containing Zina Cave system). Precipitation data were recorded over a five-month period at 10-minute intervals, to understand the effects of throughfall between the altering old and second-growth canopies. At each major spring for the two cave systems, high-resolution data were collected from June 29 through November 21, …

Quantifying Tekeze River Canyon Incision On The Ethiopian Plateau From Low-Temperature Apatite Thermochronology, Jacob Thomas Grigsby

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Ethiopian Plateau in East Africa features dynamic topography, deep river incision (~1.5 km), active tectonics, continental rifting, volcanic terrain and ~2 km of plateau uplift. Situated on the northwestern part of the Ethiopian Plateau, the Tekeze River is one of the two major rivers associated with incising and documenting the recent geologic history of the uplifted plateau landscape. The consequential Tekeze River incision into the uplifted Ethiopian Plateau is associated with the arrival and impingement of the Afar mantle plume as evidenced by the presence of thick sheets of Cenozoic flood basalts (~30 Ma). However, the Cenozoic to present-day …

Influence Of Spring Flow Reversals On Cave Dissolution In A Telogenetic Karst Aquifer, Mammoth Cave, Ky, Chelsey Kipper

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An often overlooked connection between karst groundwater systems and surface water is spring flow reversal, the flow of river water into karst springs caused by changes in hydraulic gradient. Karst aquifers are subject to the intrusion of river water when the hydraulic head of a base level river is higher than the hydraulic head of a base level spring. When this occurs, the flow out of the spring reverses, allowing river water to enter base level conduits. River water thus becomes a source of recharge into karst basins, transporting both valuable nutrients and harmful contaminants into karst aquifers. The rapid …

Unroofing History Of The Northwestern Ethiopian Plateau: Insights From Low-Temperature Apatite Thermochronology, Shelby Bowden

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The geology of Ethiopia is dominated by the Ethiopian Plateau that is similar in elevation to, but aerially larger than, the Colorado Plateau. Several rivers have incised through the plateau, creating gorges that reach up to 1.5 km in depth. The plateau uplifted to its current elevation and was subsequently incised sometime after the Oligocene flood basalt event that signaled the arrival of the African Superplume below Kenya and Ethiopia. Due to its size and extent, published climate modeling has indicated that Late Cenozoic plateau formation could have been a driving force in the East African Cenozoic climate changes. Although …

Indirect Greenhouse Gas Dynamics In Karst Groundwater Systems Under Agricultural Land Use, Stacy Wayne Antle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a major global environmental concern, because their concentrations have continuously increased over the past few centuries, due to global population growth, fossil fuel dependency, and the Industrial Revolution. Since these gases are naturally occurring phenomena, they will never be completely eliminated. Efforts to reduce them span numerous scientific attempts, with minimal improvements in reducing their atmospheric concentrations. In agricultural land practices, greenhouse gases are common byproducts that affect the atmosphere and, potentially, the groundwater where livestock and fertilizers are key contributors. Little is known about the fate of such greenhouse gases in dissolved form, known as …

Carbon Flux And Weathering Processes In Icelandic Glacial-Fed Rivers, Allison Quiroga

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An investigation into the carbon dynamics and weathering processes occurring in Icelandic glacial-fed streams was conducted during the spring to summer seasonal transition in June of 2017. Four major outlet rives were sampled from the glaciers of Gígjökull, Steinsholtsjökull, Sólheimajökull, and Falljökull. Markarfljót, the major river that Gígjökull, Steinsholtsjökull, and many other glaciers drain into, was also sampled. Longitudinal sampling occurred at all sites to capture downstream trends in the hydrogeochemistry and carbon dynamics. Distinct differences in geochemistry between glacier surface meltwater, sub-glacial waters, pro-glacial lake water, and post-mixed downstream samples were evident in the data. Glacier surface streams were …

Measuring Inorganic Carbon Fluxes From Carbonate Mineral Weathering From Large River Basins: The Ohio River Basin, Autumn B. Singer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations have motivated efforts to better quantify reservoirs and fluxes of Earth’s carbon. Of these fluxes from the atmosphere, one that has received relatively little attention is the atmospheric carbon sink associated with carbonate mineral dissolution. Osterhoudt (2014) and Salley (2016) explored new normalization techniques to improve and standardize a process for measuring this flux over large river basins. The present research extends this work to the 490,600 km2 Ohio River drainage basin and 11 subbasins. The study estimated the DIC flux leaving these basins between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014, based on secondary hydrogeochemical, …

Evaluating The Influences Of Karst Hydrogeology On Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms In Kentucky Lakes, Robert T. Schaefer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A problem exists in Nolin River Lake and Rough River Lake in Kentucky, due to the increasing prevalence of cyanobacterial-based harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) and the threats they pose to local communities. These lakes were developed as artificial reservoirs from embankment. Further complicating the issue, the lakes are located within a heavily karstified region and there exists no plan or method currently for monitoring or managing CyanoHABs in a karst region with regard to groundwater inputs to the lake systems or their tributaries. A mixture of techniques and analysis methods was used to determine the best way to monitor and …

The Role Of Diagenesis In Reservoir Development Of The Big Clifty (Jackson) Sandstone In South-Central Kentucky, Kort H. Butler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Big Clifty is a Chesterian-age Mississippian sandstone member of the Golconda Formation that extends from south-central Kentucky into adjacent Illinois and Indiana. Asphaltic deposits and conventional petroleum plays are distributed along the Pennyrile Fault System and Plateau in the southeastern portion of the Illinois basin. In south-central Kentucky anomalous oil-saturation geometries are observed in cored sections of the Big Clifty from wells in Warren and Butler counties along the margin of the Pennyrile Plateau. Petrographic study of the cores has revealed several diagenetic processes that have contributed to, or are directly responsible for, the anomalous oil saturation geometries and …

Apatite Helium Thermochronology Of The Blue Nile Canyon, Ethiopian Plateau, Nathaniel C. Blackburn

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Ethiopian Plateau, situated in the northernmost part of the East African Rift System, has been uplifted and incised by the Blue Nile River, creating the 1.5 km-deep Blue Nile Canyon, the only extensive canyon within the Nile drainage basin. Much of this canyon incision is related to the Ethiopian Plateau uplift, which is due to a combined tectonic influence linked to the East African Rift System and the Afar Mantle Plumerelated upwelling since the Oligocene. The Blue Nile Canyon incision followed this plume-related upwelling, which resulted in extensive flood basalt emplacement around ~30 Ma. This study employs low-temperature apatite …

Carbon Cycling Dynamics Inferred From Carbon Isotope Sourcing In A Mid-Latitude Karst-Influenced River, Kegan N. Mcclanahan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

As ever-increasing levels of carbon dioxide alter the chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere, understanding the global carbon cycle becomes increasingly important. A particularly important component is the riverine carbon cycle, as rivers are the primary conduits for dissolved inorganic carbon from terrestrial watersheds to ocean basins. Stable carbon isotopes (13C/12C) were collected weekly and input into the mixing model IsoSource to delineate seasonal carbon sourcing along two nested basins in the upper Green River System, Kentucky. In the more siliciclastic upstream catchment, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was primarily derived from soil respiration (34%). Groundwater dissolving carbonate bedrock and carbonate dissolution/precipitation …

Impacts Of Carbonate Mineral Weathering On Hydrochemistry Of The Upper Green River Basin, Kentucky, Laura Leigh Osterhoudt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Kentucky’s Upper Green River Basin has received significant attention due to the area’s high biodiversity and spectacular karst development. While carbonate bedrock is present throughout the watershed, it is more extensive and homogenous along the river between Greensburg and Munfordville than upstream from Greensburg where the geology is more heterogeneous. This research quantitatively evaluated how lithological differences between the two catchment areas impact hydrochemistry and inorganic carbon cycling. This first required correcting catchment boundaries on previous US Geological Survey Hydrologic Unit Maps to account for areas where the boundaries cross sinkhole plains. Basin boundaries using existing Kentucky Division of Water …

Geologic Factors Affecting Hydrocarbon Occurrence In Paleovalleys Of The Mississippian-Pennsylvanian Unconformity In The Illinois Basin, Jeremy Taylor London

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Paleovalleys associated with the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity have been identified as potential targets for hydrocarbon exploration in the Illinois Basin. Though there is little literature addressing the geologic factors controlling hydrocarbon accumulation in sub-Pennsylvanian paleovalleys basin-wide, much work has been done to identify the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity, characterize the Chesterian and basal Pennsylvanian lithology, map the sub-Pennsylvanian paleogeology and delineate the pre-Pennsylvanian paleovalleys in the Illinois Basin. This study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to determine the geologic factors controlling the distribution of hydrocarbon-bearing sub-Pennsylvanian paleovalley fill in the Illinois Basin. A methodology was developed to identify densely-drilled areas without associated petroleum …

Investigating Telogenetic Karst Aquifer Processes And Evolution In South-Central Kentucky, U.S., Using High-Resolution Storm Hydrology And Geochemistry Monitoring, Nicholas Lawhon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Recent studies have investigated the hydrological and geochemical characteristics of karst aquifers in different settings; however, telogenetic karst aquifer processes remain poorly understood. In south-central Kentucky, the iconic Lost River Cave and Valley represents a large, complex telogenetic karst drainage basin with a series of discharge points along a collapsed section of the cave. Two Campbell Scientific® CR1000 automated dataloggers were installed at Blue Hole Four, a primary discharge point of the Lost River Karst Aquifer (LRKA). These dataloggers recorded spring discharge, water temperature, specific conductance (SpC), and pH at ten-minute intervals from January to November, 2013. During the year, …

Sources Of Co2 Controlling The Carbonate Chemistry Of The Logsdon River, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Bruce Elliott Hatcher

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Logsdon River is a major, base-level stream within the Turnhole Bend Drainage basin of the Mammoth Cave System. The Logsdon River system has provided a unique opportunity to examine the geochemical evolution of a stream flowing through a major karst conduit that can be traversed for 10 km. This study examines CO₂ inputs at the upstream portion of the river, which provide major control for the river’s hydrochemistry. Samples were collected from the upstream portion of Logsdon River at what is referred to as the S-188 sump and also nearby at Crowbar Dome over the course of 44 weeks …

Late Holocene Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction In Barbados, Gilman Reno Ouellette

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Barbados is the easternmost island in the Caribbean region, and is uniquely situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Being an isolated island with a karstified aquifer providing the majority of the nation’s water resources, Barbados has found itself in water scarce situations in recent years. In order to better understand natural shifts in groundwater recharge (which is determined by shifts in precipitation), longer records of precipitation are needed than are available from modern measurements. This study presents a paleoclimate reconstruction for the late Holocene on Barbados using stable and radiogenic isotope ratios in speleothem lamina as proxies. In …

Determining The Lon-Exchange Mechanism Of Strontium Into A Niobium Doped Titanosilicate, Samantha Jane Kramer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A 25% niobium substituted sitinakite was exchanged with strontium as time resolved X-ray diffraction data was collected. The structural modeling of this data by Rietveld method1 has lead to the determination of the atomic positions of the ions and unit cell parameters as strontium occupancy increases.

The starting material of the exchange experiment is the protonated phase, H2Nb0.67Ti1.33SiO7·1.9 H2O, with space group P42/mcm2,3. Once strontium (Sr2+) enters the unit cell, extra-framework H2O molecules shift to provide the necessary hydration coordination. These new positions of H2O result in a lowering of symmetry to the P-42m space group, and it is thought …

A Novel Pervious Cement Reaction Barrier (Pcrb) In Situ Arsenic Remediation System, Morgan Liane Jones

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

No abstract provided.

Field Test Of A Calcite Dissolution Rate Law: Fort’S Funnel Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, J. Scott Slunder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The laboratory-derived calcite dissolution rate law of Plummer et al. (1978) is the most widely used and mechanistically detailed expression currently available for predicting dissolution rates as a function of water chemistry. Such rate expressions are of great use in understanding timescales associated with limestone karst development. Little work has gone into the field testing of the rate law under natural conditions.

This work compared measured dissolution rates measured by a crystal weight loss experiment in Buffalo Creek within Fort’s Funnel Cave, which lies within a pristine, forested catchment of Mammoth Cave National Park. Continuous water chemistry sampling over the …

A Bacteriological And Chemical Analysis Of Nonpoint Source Pollution In A Karst Aquifer Bowling Green, Kentucky, Wayne Green

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Monthly water samples collected from four sites in the Lost River Groundwater Basin, a shallow karst aquifer in the Bowling Green-Warren County area of Kentucky, represented samples from sites receiving conduit and diffuse flow. All sites were severely contaminated with bacteria, and on some occasions the surface water criteria for some heavy metals were exceeded.

Of the total 334 bacterial colonies identified 92.1% were verified as Escherichia coli by the API20E system. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratum accounted for 2.10% of colonies; Citrobacter freundii for 0.30% Klebsiella pneumoniae for 0.90%; Klebsiella oxytoca, 0.90%; Citrobacter amalonaticus 0.30%; Enterobacter cloacae, 1.20%; …