Geophysics and Seismology Commons^™

Seismic Analysis Of The Upper & Lower Falls Of The Yellowstone River, Loring Schaible

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Twelve years of concurrent hydrologic and continuous seismic data along with temporary seismic data demonstrate that the Upper and Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River comprise a highly localized source of 0.5-5 Hz seismic energy that overwhelms anthropogenic contributions. In aggregate, seismic amplitude from 2008-2019 is linearly related to discharge with a correlation coefficient of 0.96. Repeated deviations from this linear relationship persist for 1-2 weeks prior to the date that Yellowstone Lake becomes clear of winter ice coverage. Seismic efficiency increases by ~50-250% during this period of ice-breakup, during which lake ice flows into the …

Quantifying Oil And Gas Industry Related Geohazard Using Radar Interferometry And Hydro-Geomechanical Modeling, Weiyu Zheng

Earth Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The Permian Basin, containing a large amount of oil and gas, has been intensively developed for hydrocarbon production. However, the hazards related to the oil and gas industry including surface deformation and the underlying mechanisms in this region have not been well known. My PhD study aims to monitor the geohazards in the Permian Basin and better comprehend the subsurface mechanisms with the aid of high-resolution and high-accuracy Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images. Generally, as the pore pressure is influenced by wastewater injection/hydrocarbon production, the pressure changes can propagate to other surrounding underground and overlying rock/soil layers, resulting in …

Evaluating The Sensitivity Of Crustal Deformation To Bedrock Hydrology In A Mountain Watershed, Brett J. Oliver

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We evaluate the sensitivity of Earth's elastic deformation to groundwater hydraulic diffusivity using coupled groundwater and elastic deformation models. Seasonal changes in terrestrial water storage cause deformation to the Earth’s crust and deeper interior that is within the observational capacity of GPS instruments. We couple finite difference groundwater simulations with geodetic forward models of crustal displacement to investigate the ability of geodetic deformation to constrain bedrock hydrologic properties. We use MODFLOW-2005 to simulate seasonal changes in groundwater flow and storage, and then use the LoadDef elastic deformation model to forward model surface displacement caused by the change in terrestrial water …

Hydrogeologic Investigation Of A Covered Karst Terrain, Joseph Peter Honings

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Increasing demand for water for agricultural use within the Dougherty Plain of the Southeastern United States has depleted surface water bodies. In karstic landscapes, such as the Dougherty Plain in southwest Georgia where the linkages between surface and ground waters are close, there is a need to understand the physical characteristics of the subsurface that allow these close linkages. Having a better understanding of the subsurface characteristics will aid numerical modeling efforts that underpin policy decisions and economic analyses. Two common features on this karstic landscape are draws and geographically isolated wetlands. Using LiDAR, aerial imagery, and ground-penetrating radar, this …

Fluid Pathways In Magmatic Fluid-Dominated Hydrothermal System: Upper Resurgent Cone, Brothers Volcano, New Zealand, Esther G. Goita

Honors Theses

The Tonga-Kermadec Arc is an active volcanic arc located between New Zealand and Fiji. The arc expands over an approximate distance of 2530 km. The Kermadec Arc is currently host to over 30 volcanoes, the majority of which are submarine. The magmatic activity along the arc is characterized by the convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates. Brothers volcano is the most active hydrothermal system along the Kermadec arc and hosts two distinct hydrothermal systems, one magmatic fluid dominated, and the other seawater dominated, making the site perfect for studying nascent volcanogenic massive sulfide formation and fluid pathways. The International …

Characterization Of Quaternary Stratigraphy In The Mississippi Sound To Evaluate The Influence Of Geologic Heterogeneity On Submarine Groundwater Transport And Discharge, Zachary Peoples

Theses and Dissertations

Submarine Groundwater Discharge (SGD) through seafloor sediments is gaining recognition as an important component of coastal water quality. Stratigraphic features creating geologic heterogeneity, such as incised paleochannels, may influence preferential pathways for SGD. The central Mississippi Sound is underlain by paleochannels that were incised into Pleistocene sediments while the area was subaerially exposed during the last glacial maximum and are now buried by transgressive Holocene deposits. In this thesis, newly collected chirp, previously published seismic reflection, and sediment core data are used to characterize the three-dimensional structure of the Holocene-Pleistocene contact. Results indicate that Pleistocene paleochannels cross-cut the study area, …

Laboratory Measurement Of Electrical And Hydraulic Properties Of Regolith Over Granitic Bedrock, Taylor James Bienvenue

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Characterizing water flux within the critical zone (CZ) is essential for a multitude of studies and applications related to irrigation, drainage, water management, and contaminant transport. Trying to measure water flux in the critical zone, specifically in the subsurface, is difficult due to the associated structural heterogeneity and complex interactions taking place between biological, chemical, and physical processes. Current methods (i.e., inferred from soil suction and soil moisture measurements) to characterize water flux within the critical zone can be time consuming and are not directly related to water flux. Recent literature has provided evidence that self-potential (SP) is a promising …

Characterization Of Landslide Processes From Radar Remote Sensing And Hydromechanical Modeling, Yuankun Xu

Earth Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Landsides are a natural geomorphic process yet a dangerous hazard which annually causes thousands of casualties and billions of property loss in a global scale. Understanding landslide motion kinematics from early initiation to final deposition is critical for monitoring, assessing, and forecasting landslide movement in order to mitigate their hazards. Landslides occur under diverse environmental settings and appear in variable types; however, all types of landslides can be mechanically attributed to shearing failure at the basal surface due to stress regime shift contributed by internal and/or external forcing. Typical internal factors include soil/rock weathering, whereas typical external triggering forces encompass …

Development Of Vs Profiles And Site Periods In The Mexico City Basin, Landon Joel Woodfield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study presents dynamic site characterization measurements at 25 sites within the Mexico City Basin. The primary focus of the testing was along the western edge of the Mexico City Basin. At each site, active source Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) arrays and passive source Microtremor Array Measurements (MAM) L-arrays and circular arrays were used to acquire dispersion data. Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) data was collected to determine site periods at each location. These experimental dispersion data and site periods were fit using a joint inversion of Rayleigh and Love wave dispersion data and HVSR site period …

Core And Geophysical Analysis Of Biogenic Tufa Deposits In The Spring River In Northern Arkansas, Tyler W. Engelbart

MSU Graduate Theses

The Spring River is fed by Mammoth Spring, a large spring on the Missouri-Arkansas border which produces roughly 240 million gallons of water per day (MGD). In this area there are deposits that appear as dams which cause water to pool upstream. Aerial analysis of the dams shows that there are approximately 100 of these features present in the first 45 miles downstream of Mammoth Spring. These deposits, known as tufa, are not uncommon in a karstic area of a spring fed river, but these are more frequent farther downriver than near the mouth of the spring. Preliminary mapping data …

Shallow Seismic Modeling Of The Hydrothermal Plumbing System Beneath Old Faithful Geyser In The Upper Geyser Basin Of Yellowstone National Park, Jordan Rigdon Caylor

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In November 2016, a 2-D and 3-D seismic survey was performed around Old Faithful Geyser in the southeastern portion of the Upper Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. The survey consisted of 521 3-component seismic receiver locations including 39 receivers on a ~1km NE-SW trending line crossing Old Faithful Geyser. A 5.4kg sledgehammer striking a metal plate was our source with a dominant frequency of ~40Hz. Our 2-D line crosses Old Faithful in a NE-SW direction with station spacing at 25-30m with ~100m spacing on either side of Old Faithful and a total length of 1024m. Our 3-D seismic grid …

Evolution And Stratigraphic Architecture Of Tidal Point Bars With And Without Fluvial Input: Influence Of Variable Flow Regimes On Sediment And Facies Distribution, And Lateral Accretion, Pricilla Souza

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Tide-influenced point bars represent a significant proportion of shallow-marine deposits, commonly developed along meandering channels in most backbarrier and estuarine systems. However, sedimentological studies to characterize this type of deposit are still emerging. They often present very heterogeneous internal architectures which development is controlled by the complex flow patterns operating in tidal environments. The study of the sedimentological and morphological characteristics of these features provides better understanding of the hydrodynamic processes that shape coastal systems and control their evolution as well as it contributes to better reservoir potential prediction and production strategy optimization, as tidal point bars may represent hydrocarbon …

2d Electrical Resistivity And Hydrological Study Of A Solute Plume’S Migration Pathway Through Sandy Loam Within Nacogdoches County, Texas, Usa, Tyler Tandy, Wesley Brown, Kevin Stafford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

combined geophysical and hydrological study was conducted in a sandy loam near the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. The study area contained three preinstalled piezometers which are located in the Sparta Sand of the Eocene Claiborne Group, a regressive tract of the Eocene sea. Electrical DC resistivity surveys were conducted across one fifty-six-meter-long traverse using AGI’s multi-electrode SuperSting R8 WIFI RES/IP/SP system, which allowed for rapid and reliable data collection. The resistivity line was surveyed using the dipole-dipole array configuration, which has been proven to produce high-quality horizontal resolution. Over the duration of fourteen days, …

Submarine Groundwater Discharge In The Southern Chesapeake Bay: Constraints From Numerical Models, Charles Louis Carlson

OES Theses and Dissertations

Terrestrial and oceanic forces drive fluid flow within the coastal zone to produce submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Groundwater flowing from the seabed serves as a significant pathway for contaminants and nutrients, producing an active biogeochemical reaction zone. In order to quantify the importance of SGD in geochemical and hydrologic budgets for the lower Chesapeake Bay, three coastal Virginia transects (southern Eastern Shore, Lafayette River, and Ocean View beach) with different topographic gradients were modeled using similar boundary conditions and consistent treatment of hydrogeologic layers. A sensitivity study was performed on the variables of recharge rate, seawater density, and hydraulic permeability. …

Possible Hydroseismic Triggering For Small Earthquakes Occurring Within The Fox River Valley, Northeastern Illinois, James Benco

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In February, 2010 the town of Lily Lake experienced a magnitude 3.8 earthquake. This was followed by small earthquakes of magnitude 2-3 in the same general area in 2012 (McHenry), 2013 (Campton Hills) and 2015 (Lake of the Hills). Seismicity within this region is poorly understood. The Fox River Valley (here defined as the Fox River drainage basin) area is not historically seismically active, nor does it lie above a mapped fault. This study examines the timing of these earthquakes and the hypothesis they were triggered by pore-pressure increases at depth from large rainfall events several months earlier. A pressure …

Snowmelt Detection On Alpine Glaciers Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Time Series, Corey Scher

Dissertations and Theses

Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) glaciers serve as some of the most sensitive indicators of changes in global climate. These glaciers shape the hydrologic dynamics of river systems supplying freshwater to over 2 billion people throughout Asia and regulate the geochemistry of sensitive aquatic alpine ecosystems. As snowmelt onsets sooner, lasts longer, and snowfields retreat due to increases in global temperature, the hydrologic dynamics of catchments draining HKH threaten to change the availability of surface freshwater resources for nearly one fifth of the global population, disturb sensitive aquatic habitat, and precipitate hazards associated with glacier wasting. Informed planning and decision-making around …

Electrical Conductivity And Resistivity Study Of Heterogeneous Sediment In Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan, Ny, Rea A. Khaleda

Dissertations and Theses

The area near the inlet of Spuyten Duyvil Creek in Inwood Hill Park in New York City exhibits complex hydrological processes. The inlet is a tidal flat, which contains brackish water; a mixture of saltwater and freshwater. The area was modified by man, built on a shell bed and contains heterogeneous sediment. One field adjacent to the inlet contains several small sinkholes. Electrical resistivity and ground conductivity techniques were used in order to get an understanding of the hydrological processes of this field. It was hypothesized that the formation of the sinkholes is due to the tidal forcing of the …

Integrated Geophysical Methods To Characterize Subsidence In Butte, Montana, U.S.A., Kristen Prudhomme

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Geophysical investigations, designed to characterize unique subsidence features of unknown natural origin, provide imaging analysis of potential causes of subsidence. Recent subsidence in the alluvial plain in Butte, Montana is unrelated to historic mining in the area. This study aims to utilize a combined application of shallow electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), self-potential (SP), and frequency-domain electromagnetic (FDEM) methods in order to develop a better understanding of the particular set of hydrogeological and environmental conditions that contribute to this unique phenomena. Geophysical measurements provide lateral and vertical variations of electrical resistivity in the subsurface to a depth of 10 m while …

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) …

Geophysical Delineation Of Megaporosity And Fluid Migration Pathways For Geohazard Characterization Within The Delaware Basin, Culberson County, Texas, Jonathan David Woodard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Differential dissolution of gypsum karst within the Delaware Basin poses a significant threat to infrastructure that society depends on. The study area is located in Culberson County, Texas and traverses a distance of approximately 54 kilometers along RM 652 within the Gypsum Plain which is situated on the northern margin of the Chihuahua Desert and includes outcrops of Castile and Rustler strata that host karst geohazards. Regions of karst geohazard potential have been physically surveyed proximal to the study area in evaporites throughout the Castile Formation outcrop; minimal hazards, in comparison to the Castile Formation, have been documented in …

A Geophysical Investigation Of Stratigraphy And Structure On St. Catherines Island, Georgia, Anne M. Delua

Honors College Theses

Geophysical tools were used to investigate potential structural and stratigraphic pathways of the salt water intrusion that is affecting the surficial aquifer on St. Catherines Island, Georgia. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a geophysical tool that uses electromagnetic waves to view the subsurface. GPR is used for a variety of applications stratigraphically, biologically, and anthropogenically. GPR electromagnetic waves react to changes in density and composition and type and percentage of pore fluids in sediment and rock. GPR waves also react to interfaces including fractures and faults. GPR waves exhibit attenuation and decreased return signal in materials such as clay. Fresh …

Characterizing Subsurface Void Spaces And Water Distribution And Flow Patterns In Cave Hill Karst Using Resistivity, Jacob A. Gochenour

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Describing the distribution of groundwater is essential in understanding the evolution of geomorphologic features in karst topography. Electrical resistivity allows us to find a model of subsurface distribution of resistivity that enables the visual recognition of groundwater and void spaces. The purpose of this research is to implement electrical resistivity to describe the spatial relationship of groundwater and karstic features at Grand Caverns National Natural Landmark, Grottoes, Virginia. Two locations of interest, a karstic swale and sinkhole area, were identified for the deployment of electrical resistivity. Both, dipole-dipole and Schlumberger arrays were collected for each deployment. A total of ten …

Characterization And Delineation Of Karst Geohazards Along Rm652 Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Culberson County, Texas, Adam F. Majzoub

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Delaware Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico is the major western subdivision of the Permian Basin and a northern extension of the Chihuahuan Desert. The major evaporite unit within the Delaware Basin is the Castile Formation, which consists of gypsum/anhydrite and is highly susceptible to dissolution and karsting. Manifestations of karst within the Castile outcrop are abundant and include sinkholes, subsidence features and caves, both epigene and hypogene in origin.

Land reconnaissance surveys conducted during the summer of 2015 documented abundant karst landforms in close proximity to a major thoroughfare, RM 652, in Culberson County, Texas. 2D …

Computer Model Inversion And Uncertainty Quantification In The Geosciences, Jeremy White

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The subject of this dissertation is use of computer models as data analysis tools in several different geoscience settings, including integrated surface water/groundwater modeling, tephra fallout modeling, geophysical inversion, and hydrothermal groundwater modeling. The dissertation is organized into three chapters, which correspond to three individual publication manuscripts.

In the first chapter, a linear framework is developed to identify and estimate the potential predictive consequences of using a simple computer model as a data analysis tool. The framework is applied to a complex integrated surface-water/groundwater numerical model with thousands of parameters. Several types of predictions are evaluated, including particle travel time …

Hydrogeological And Thermal Sustainability Of Geothermal Borehole Heat Exchangers, S. Emad Dehkordi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Assessment of the current approach taken by guidelines and design methods of vertical closed loop heat exchangers shows that often groundwater flow is either disregarded or is not methodically incorporated. The state of scientific research in this arena reveals that overlooking the groundwater flow in the design procedure may not always be a correct assumption. The significance of advective heat transport compared to conduction is defined by the groundwater flux or Darcy velocity which heavily depends on the hydraulic conductivity of the ground, followed by the hydraulic gradient which has a relatively limited range. A sensitivity analysis on ground and …

Quantifying The Relationship Among Ground Penetrating Radar Reflection Amplitudes, Horizontal Sub-Wavelength Bedrock Fracture Geometries, And Fluid Conductivities, Carolyn Morgan Tewksbury-Christle

Masters Theses

Accurate characterization of subsurface fractures is indispensible for contaminant transport and fresh water resource modeling because discharge is cubically related to the fracture aperture; thus, minor errors in aperture estimates may yield major errors in a modeled hydrologic response. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has been successfully used to noninvasively estimate fracture aperture for sub-horizontal fractures at outcrop scale, but limits on vertical and horizontal resolution are a concern. Theoretical formulations and field tests have demonstrated increased GPR amplitude response with the addition of a saline tracer in a sub-millimeter fracture; however, robust verification of existing theoretical equations without an accurate …

Azimuthal Seismic First-Arrival Tomography As A Proxy For Hydraulically Conductive Subsurface Fracture Networks, Matthew Brooks Edmunds

Masters Theses

The Oak Ridge Field Research Center (ORFRC) was established by the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, TN, in order to study the various biogeochemical processes involved in the remediation as well as natural attenuation of a large contaminant plume that is extant in the vicinity of the ORIFRC. A part of this work has been to characterize the movement of this groundwater/contaminant plume with the use of azimuthal seismic first-arrival tomography (ASFT).

Within the general area of the ORIFRC, a 0-2 m layer of generally isotropic anthropogenic fill and unconsolidated soil …

Characterization Of Wetting Front Geometry And Fluid Migration In The Vadose Zone Using Surface Time-Lapse Seismic First-Arrival Tomography, Rachel Elizabeth Storniolo

Masters Theses

Characterizing and quantifying vadose zone parameters and processes are critical for assessing environmental, agricultural, and engineering problems. The shallow subsurface is essential to the geologic and hydrologic cycles because it supports agriculture and ecosystems, influences water resources, and acts as a repository for contaminants. Fluid migration in the vadose zone is dependent on a number of soil characteristics (e.g. soil type and saturation). Quantifying parameters is often the primary goal of hydrological fluid-flow investigations; however, the values calculated can be misrepresentative of the subsurface due to anisotropic features. Hydraulic conductivity (K), the most common quantitative parameter used to describe fluid …

Groundwater Research In Middle Earth, Thomas Lapoint

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

My senior project focused on studying saltwater intrusion in a coastal town of New Zealand. I feel lucky that I was able to travel to such a distant place, conduct research that was insightful and interesting, and immerse myself in an international culture all in the name of my education. As a Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies student, I aim to analyze not only the cultural differences and similarities that the foreign environment offers to me but also the detailed, technical, engineering aspect of my research. I believe that my education should be approached with a well rounded perspective that …

Fluid Budget Of Metasedimentary Rocks From A Tertiary Accretionary Prism And Connections To Seismicity, Olympic Peninsula, Northwest Washington State, Holly Makena Macfadden Rotman

All Master's Theses

Metamorphic dehydration reactions and fluid movement in accretionary prisms have been linked to the recently discovered episodic tremor and slip (ETS) earthquake events along subduction zones, but prior studies lack the detail to effectively test the hypothesis that fluid flow triggers ETS events. I conducted field work along a 52.5 km transect on the Olympic Peninsula metasedimentary accretionary prism of the Cascadia subduction zone, and collected approximately 40 representative samples of sandstone and mudrock that were buried to 6–15 km. This depth range intersects the 10–50 km depth range of ETS events. My objectives are to quantify the water flow …