Digital Commons Network^™

The 2009 And 2011 Hazard Events At San Vicente Volcano, El Salvador: Vulnerability, Resettlement, And Disaster Risk Reduction, Luke Bowman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Scientists from a variety of disciplines have made major advancements in the geophysical and social aspects of hazard science. Despite these advancements, economic losses and the number of people affected by disasters continue to rise. The field of disaster risk reduction (DRR) attempts to counter this rising trend of disaster losses by integrating a variety of disciplines to holistically solve complex problems related to risk and vulnerability. Frequent disasters in El Salvador provide insight into the evolution of DRR and its application during and after two hydrometeorological disasters in the department of San Vicente in 2009 and 2011. This dissertation …

Grassland Resources And Protections In The Yellow River Source Zone On The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Xilai Li, Gary J. Brierley, Youming Qiao, George L. W. Perry, Jay King Gao

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper summarises resources and protections of the Yellow River Source Zone on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A concerted effort has been made to address concerns for overgrazing on the alpine steppe and alpine meadow landscapes in the source zone of the Yellow River. An assessment of the impacts of overgrazing includes consideration of the role of small mammals (on the one hand they are considered as a critical ecosystem engineer, on the other they are perceived as a major threatening pest). Analyzed in this paper are management options in the restoration of degraded grasslands.

Strata-Bound Vein Array In The Basal Pierre Shale, Lake Francis Case, South Dakota, U.S.A, Harmon D. Maher Jr., Sarah Ferguson, Ryan Korth, Justine Marshall, Laura Pickett

Geography and Geology Faculty Publications

A distinctive strata-bound vein array occurs in the basal Pierre Shale exposed along the shores of Lake Francis Case, a reservoir on the Missouri River in south-central South Dakota. Typically 2–4 meters in thickness, the array consistently outcrops over a >50-km distance, a significant areal footprint. Ash layers define the upper and lower bounds of the vein array. Two, suborthogonal, preferred directions of vertical veins (northeast and southeast strike) define a regional pattern. By volume, vertical veins comprise 1–2% of the rock. Thinner, more discontinuous, and irregular horizontal veins also occur. Comparisons between array orientations and the joint/vein pattern in …

A Joint Receiver Function And Gravity Study Of Crustal Structure Beneath The Incipient Okavango Rift, Botswana, Youqiang Yu, Kelly H. Liu, Cory A. Reed, Moikwathai Moidaki, Kevin Mickus, Estella A. Aetkwana, Stephen S. Gao

College of Natural and Applied Sciences

Rifting incorporates the fundamental processes concerning the breakup of continental lithosphere and plays a significant role in the formation and evolution of sedimentary basins. In order to decipher the characteristics of rifting at its earliest stage, we conduct the first teleseismic crustal study of one of the world's youngest continental rifts, the Okavango Rift Zone (ORZ), where the magma has not yet breached the surface. Results from receiver function stacking and gravity modeling indicate that the crust/mantle boundary beneath the ORZ is uplifted by 4-5 km, and the initiation of the ORZ is closely related to lithospheric stretching. Possible decompression …

Using Particle Size Analysis To Separate The Deposition Of A Bonebed And Artifact At The Wenas Creek Mammoth Site, Genevieve Brown

All Master's Theses

The 2005 discovery of a 17,000 year old mammoth bonebed in close proximity to a possible artifact at the Wenas Creek Mammoth Site (WCMS) brought with it the question of whether the bones and artifact were actually deposited together. If the two are associated, the WCMS would qualify as a Pre-Clovis site, a title given to just a handful of proven archaeological sites in North America, though claimed for numerous more. A close interval particle size analysis was performed on 2 column samples from the WCMS with the intention of identifying microstratification that would separate the bonebed from the artifact. …

Mesoamerican Sacred Geography And Archeological Landscapes: A Case Study In The Volcanic Highlands Of Michoacan, Mexico, Jarod Scott Drozdowski

All Master's Theses

US and Mexican teams have investigated the La Alberca Structure Complex with the community of Parangaricutiro. Their forest reserve, located near San Juan Nuevo in Michoacan, Mexico, contains several volcanic cones, including the famous Paricutin cinder cone. Sixteen earthen-rock structures have been mapped using aerial photography, GPS, GIS, and total station surveys. The structures range from 300 to 2,400 cubic meters in volume. The larger mound-like structures are traditionally called yacatas. Early radiocarbon dates for two of the three central structures (ca. 5200-2000 BCE) bracket dates for the Late Archaic burial in the La Alberca caldera. Arrangements of the larger …

Geotechnical Statistical Evaluation Of Lahore Site Data And Deep Excavation Design, Aiza Malik

Civil and Environmental Engineering Master's Project Reports

Geotechnical characterization for foundation design is critical during preliminary planning, designing and feasibility studies of various engineering projects. In this research, an effort has been made to develop a geotechnical database for the city of Lahore, Pakistan. This database would aid geologists and engineers involved in the geotechnical design and planning of engineering projects in Lahore. The project area has been divided into zones geographically. Soil profiles have been developed for all zones, which provide ranges of soil properties and SPT-N values at regular intervals. Furthermore, the research also focuses on deep excavations in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan and …

Neodymium Isotope Ratios And A Positive Δ13c Excursion: Connecting Oceanographic And Climate Changes Near The M4-M5 Sequence Boundary Of The Late Ordovician, Zachary Wright

LSU Master's Theses

A significant positive carbon isotope excursion first described from the Guttenberg Member of the Decorah Formation in Iowa called the GICE is a defining feature of Late Ordovician chemostratigraphy. It occurs near the M4-M5 sequence boundary of the Late Ordovician and has been correlated across the globe using prominent K-bentonite ash beds and conodont biomarkers. The cause of the GICE has been debated, with some arguing that it represents the initiation of a glacial period in a greenhouse climate 10 Ma before the end Ordovician glaciation and extinction. A variety of cooling signals have been identified across the M4-M5 sequence …

A Composite Spatial Model Incorporating Groundwater Vulnerability And Environmental Disturbance To Guide Land Management, Johanna L. Kovarik

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research has long recognized and studied the dynamics of groundwater processes. More recently, groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are being recognized for their diversity and vulnerability to anthropogenic impact. Groundwater in karst landscapes presents a distinctive situation where flow through the subsurface often moves rapidly on the scale of days and weeks as opposed to years or millennia in other systems. This distinctive situation of karst systems and their vulnerability to human impacts necessitate an integrated and multifaceted approach for the management of these important resources. However, development of such an approach is complicated by the difficulty of obtaining detailed data …

Glaciological Applications Of Terrestrial Radar Interferometry, Denis Voytenko

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Terrestrial Radar Interferometry (TRI) is a relatively new ground-based technique that combines the precision and spatial resolution of satellite interferometry with the temporal resolution of GPS. Although TRI has been applied to a variety of fields including bridge and landslide monitoring, it is ideal for studies of the highly-dynamic terminal zones of marine-terminating glaciers, some of which are known to have variable velocities related to calving and/or ocean-forced melting. My TRI instrument is the Gamma Portable Radar Interferometer, which operates at 17.2 GHz (1.74 cm wavelength), has two receiving antennas for DEM (digital elevation model) generation, and images the scenes …

Stratigraphy And Porosity Modeling Of South-Central Illinois (Usa) Chester (Upper Mississippian) Series Sandstones Using Petrel, Darren Kimple, Eric W. Peterson, David H. Malone

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Maximizing resource extraction from mature oilfields requires enhanced and secondary recovery techniques. The success of these methods relies on knowledge and understanding of the reservoir geology and hydraulics. At the Loudon Oilfield (Illinois, USA), enhanced oil recovery is being used to extend the production life of the reservoir. The suitability and placement of additional wells for oil recovery processes required three-dimensional (3D) facies and porosity modeling of the oilfield. The purpose of this work was to assess the ability of a porosity model to predict sandstone facies. The facies model for the Loudon field was generated using data obtained from …

Three-Dimensional Geologic Model Of The Pecatonica Gas Storage Field, Winnebago County, Illinois, Nicole D. Kron, David H. Malone, Eric W. Peterson

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

This study involves the construction of a three-dimensional (3D) geologic model of Paleozoic strata that are part of an underground gas storage field in northern, Illinois, USA. The Pecatonica Anticline trends 60W and plunges gently to the southeast. It is 10 km long and 3 km wide, and verges to the NE. Six water wells and 22 gas wells were used to create the 3-D geologic model in Petrel using well tops as determined from wire-line logs. The following horizons were created for the Cambrian and Ordovician strata: the Ancell, Trempealeau, Franconia, Ironton-Galesvilles, Eau Claire Proviso A and B, Eau …

Integrating Geoscience Into Undergraduate Education About Environment, Society, And Sustainability Using Place-Based Learning: Three Examples, David Gosselin, Steven Burian, Tim Lutz, Julie Maxson

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

From water to energy, and from climate change to natural hazards, the geosciences (marine, Earth, and atmospheric science) have an important role to play in addressing a wide range of societal issues, with particular relevance to how humans can live sustainably on Earth. Although arguably important to developing solutions for many societal issues, more often than not, students have limited exposure to the geosciences in high school or college. To address this geoscience literacy problem, the Interdisciplinary Teaching of Geoscience for a Sustainable Future (InTeGrate) Talent Expansion Center has engaged members of the geoscience community and their colleagues in allied …

Livestock And Local Development: Going To A New Humananimal Relationship, Jean François Tourrand, Laurent Dobremez, Benoit Dedieu, Guillaume Duteurtre, M. G. Piketty, P. Lescoat, B. Hubert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Along the past ten years, the French National Agency for Research (ANR) has financed projects regarding livestock. Results of five projects were gathered to understand the long-term livestock trends. At the end of the 19th century, animal breeding was oriented towards the production of goods to meet the local, regional, national and global demand, according to the zone. The market gradually became the key-factor to norm both production and consumption. It is now integrating environmental norms and is starting to invest in the social domain. However, this economical vision of animal production does not take into account the other functions …

High-Altitude Grassland Management And Improvement Of Pastoral Livelihoods In The Hindu Kush Himalayan Region, Eklabya Sharma

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is the largest mountain systems in the world, spanning over 4.3 million km2 and covering 3500 km long fragile environment. Grasslands in the HKH region are the source of livelihoods for approximately 25 to 30 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. High altitude grasslands play a significant role in storage and regulation of water; storage of carbon in soil and peat lands; permafrost storage; and stabilization of climate, soil, and nutrients. They foster a rich biodiversity with endemic species of fauna and flora; provide clean air and open spaces for recreational purposes, and bolster a rich …

Possible Tsunami Deposits On The Caribbean Coast Of The Yucatán Peninsula, Charles Shaw, Larry Benson

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The western Caribbean Basin is notable for its tectonic stability. It has experienced no historical earthquakes or the tsunami that sometimes accompany them. This paper describes a single, wedge-shaped, boulder-covered, coastal berm on the Yucatán coast of México that stretches unbroken for 50 km across a coastal segment characterized by rocky headlands that alternate with crescent beaches. The remainder of the 350 km of Yucatán coast consists mostly of mangrove that extends 1 to 30 km inland, often behind long, sandy beaches. On the headlands, the surface of the berm is densely paved with boulders—large boulders on its seaward face …

Radiocarbon Dating Of Late Quaternary Sediments Using Fossil Gastropod Shells, Jeffrey S. Pigati, John P. Mcgeehin, Daniel R. Muhs

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Terrestrial gastropods are one of the most successful groups of organisms on Earth. Their distribution includes all continents except Antarctica, and they occupy exceptionally diverse habitats, from marshes and wet meadows to alpine forests and Arctic tundra. Their shells are also commonly preserved in Quaternary deposits and potentially could be used for ¹⁴C dating. However, terrestrial gastropods are known to ingest limestone and incorporate the old carbon in their shells, resulting in apparent ages that are often too old. Recent studies have shown that many small (<1 cm diameter) terrestrial gastropods avoid this “limestone problem” even when living in areas in which carbonate rocks are readily available. However, the shells must also behave as closed systems with respect to carbon if their ages are to be considered reliable. Our latest work has been aimed at testing if small gastropod shells do, in fact, remain closed systems in late Quaternary deposits over a wide array of climate conditions across North America. Our results demonstrate that ages derived from Succineidae shells are identical to wood and charcoal ages in loess in Alaska, glacial deposits in the upper Midwest, loess in the Great Plains, and paleowetlands in the desert southwest. Moreover, Succineidae shell ages routinely fall within permitted limits set by stratigraphic boundaries, require less interpretation than humic acid ages that are commonly used in loess studies, can provide additional stratigraphic coverage to previous dating efforts, and maintain stratigraphic order more often than luminescence ages from the same stratigraphic intervals. Thus, we conclude that fossil Succineidae shells, and shells of a few other small gastropods, can be used for ¹⁴C dating regardless of the local lithology, past climate, or environmental …

Dune And Coastal Evolution In Isla Salamanca National Park, Colombia, Juan Felipe Gómez

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This project analyzes natural variables influencing the coastal and dune evolution in Isla Salamanca National Park (ISNP), a biosphere reserve and Ramsar site located in Colombia, on the Caribbean coast. Since at least the early 1950s, the park has been affected by eroding trends along most of the shoreline. Particularly, most modern dunes are located close to the coastline, forming scarped dunes regularly affected by storm wave-action.

The trends through time of rain, bathymetry and coastline changes during the last six decades were studied through statistical analysis, mapping of landscape features, and satellite images and historical aerial photograph …

Intra- And Inter-Seasonal Variability Of Supra-Glacial 1 Streams And Lakes Over The West Greenland Ice Sheet 2 From High-Resolution Satellite Optical Data, Michael Gregory Brown

Dissertations and Theses

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) is one of the largest glacial ice masses on Earth, second only to the Antarctic ice sheet. The surface hydrology of the GrIS plays a crucial role on the surface energy and mass balance budgets of the ice sheet as a whole. Surface water, known as supra-glacial water, is seasonally found in the ablation zone and feeds the en-glacial and sub-glacial hydrological environments of the ice sheet. The spatial distribution of surface streams is poorly understood and their temporal variability is (to our knowledge) unknown. One of the reasons for the lack of knowledge on …

Exploration Of The Mtsat2 Satellite Capabilities For Real Time Detection And Characterization Of Volcanic Emissions, Nicholas R. Stewart

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In this report, we attempt to define the capabilities of the infrared satellite remote sensor, Multifunctional Transport Satellite-2 (MTSAT-2) (i.e. a geosynchronous instrument), in characterizing volcanic eruptive behavior in the highly active region of Indonesia. Sulfur dioxide data from NASA's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) (i.e. a polar orbiting instrument) are presented here for validation of the processes interpreted using the thermal infrared datasets. Data provided from two case studies are analyzed specifically for eruptive products producing large thermal anomalies (i.e. lava flows, lava domes, etc.), volcanic ash and SO₂ clouds; three distinctly characteristic and abundant volcanic emissions. Two primary …

Understanding The Contractional History Of Surprise Canyon, California Through Digital Field Mapping, 3d Modeling, And U-Pb Zircon Geochronology, Joshua A. Cobb

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Detailed digital mapping of lower-middle Surprise Canyon has revealed a more complex structure than previously interpreted. Rock units derived from the metamorphosed equivalents of the Pahrump Group exposed in Surprise Canyon display juxtapositions inconsistent with stratigraphic variations suggested in previous studies. This study proposes a contractional history of the central Panamint Mountains defined by two kinematically distinct and geochronologically constrained deformation events. D1 is characterized by a shallow dipping, NNW striking L and LS tectonite fabric ubiquitously observed in all metasedimentary and basement units. F1 folds are mesoscopic in scale and isoclinal with an axial planar S1 foliation. A prominent …

Vapor Flow Resistance Of Dry Soil Layer To Soil Water Evaporation In Arid Environment: An Overview, Xixi Wang

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Evaporation from bare sandy soils is the core component of the hydrologic cycle in arid environments, where vertical water movement dominates. Although extensive measurement and modeling studies have been conducted and reported in existing literature, the physics of dry soil and its function in evaporation is still a challenging topic with significant remaining issues. Thus, an overview of the previous findings will be very beneficial for identifying further research needs that aim to advance our understanding of the vapor flow resistance (VFR) effect on soil water evaporation as influenced by characteristics of the dry soil layer (DSL) and evaporation zone …

Throughfall Nutrients In A Degraded Indigenous Fagus Orientalis Forest And A Picea Abies Plantation In The Of North Of Iran, Parisa Abbasian, Pedram Attarod, Seyed Mohammad Moein Sadeghi, John T. Van Stan, Seyed M. Hojjati

Earth, Environment & Sustainability: Faculty Publications

Aim of study: The objective of this study was to compare the quantity and quality of TF (throughfall) in an indigenous, but degraded, stand of Fagus orientalis and Picea abies plantation.

Area of study: Forests of Kelar-Dasht region located in Mazandaran province, northern Iran.

Material and Methods: TF measured by twenty collectors that were distributed randomly underneath each stand. For 21 storms sampled in 2012 (August-December) and 2013 (April-June), we analyzed pH, EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, NO3-, and P of gross rainfall (GR) and TF.

Main results: Cumulative interception (I) for F. orientalis and P. abies were 114.2 mm and …

Evaluation Of Rock Fall Hazards Using Lidar Technology, Norbert H. Maerz, Travis Kassebaum, Kenneth J. Boyko, James Otoo

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lidar (light detection and ranging) is a relatively new technology that is being used in many aspects of geology and engineering, including researching the potential for rock falls on highway rock cuts. At Missouri University of Science and Technology, we are developing methods for measuring joint orientations remotely and quantifying the raveling process. Measuring joint orientations remotely along highways is safer, more accurate and can result in larger and more accurate data sets, including measurements from otherwise inaccessible areas. Measuring the nature of rock raveling will provide the data needed to begin the process of modeling the rock raveling process. …

A New Technique For Modeling The Geomorphology Of A Slow Moving, Soft-Slope Landslide Using Terrestrial Lidar, Nathan Bradley Rohrbaugh

Masters Theses

"Soft slope movement is a big problem whether it involves an engineered slope, one that is near infrastructure, or both. Active landslides that fail slowly sometimes allow ample time to affect remedial works. In order to plan effective remedial works, there needs to be a model of the entire geometry of the slide. This thesis describes a new approach to evaluate the morphology of slope geometry using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data obtained from simple targets strategically positioned on a slide body. The data was gathered in three-month intervals over a period of one year to allow enough time …

Holocene Palynology Of The Gulf Of Papua, Papua New Guinea: Using Modern Palynomorph Distribution To Better Constrain Paleoenvironmental Changes, Marie Louise Thomas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Multiple NSF (National Science Foundation)-funded MARGINS Source-to-Sink cruises were conducted in the Gulf of Papua (GoP), Papua New Guinea (PNG), from 2003 through 2005 to better understand how sediment is created, transported, and deposited. Although much work has been done on the data collected during these cruises, palynological analysis has never been conducted on the hundreds of available cores. The first phase of this project (Chapters 2 and 3) examines the connection between modern depositional regimes in the GoP and species assemblages recovered. Statistical analysis of palynomaceral assemblages (Chapter 2) indicates a correlation between their distribution and bathymetry, sedimentation rate, …

Sea Level, Paleogeography, And Archeology On California's Northern Channel Islands, Leslie Reeder- Myers, Jon Erlandson, Daniel R. Muhs, Torben Rick

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Sea-level rise during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene inundated nearshore areas in many parts of the world, producing drastic changes in local ecosystems and obscuring significant portions of the archeological record. Although global forces are at play, the effects of sea-level rise are highly localized due to variability in glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) effects. Interpretations of coastal paleoecology and archeology require reliable estimates of ancient shorelines that account for GIA effects. Here we build on previous models for California's Northern Channel Islands, producing more accurate late Pleistocene and Holocene paleogeographic reconstructions adjusted for regional GIA variability. This region has …

Monthly Land Cover-Specific Evapotranspiration Models Derived From Global Eddy Flux Measurements And Remote Sensing Data, Yuan Fang, Ge Sun, Peter Caldwell, Steven G. Mcnulty, Asko Noormets, Jean-Christophe Domec, John King, Zhiqiang Zhang, Xudong Zhang, Guanghui Lin, Guangsheng Zhou, Jingfeng Xiao, Jiquan Chen

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Evapotranspiration (ET) is arguably the most uncertain ecohydrologic variable for quantifying watershed water budgets. Although numerous ET and hydrological models exist, accurately predicting the effects of global change on water use and availability remains challenging because of model deficiency and/or a lack of input parameters. The objective of this study was to create a new set of monthly ET models that can better quantify landscape-level ET with readily available meteorological and biophysical information. We integrated eddy covariance flux measurements from over 200 sites, multiple year remote sensing products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and statistical modelling. Through examining …

Trans-Amazon Drilling Project (Tadp): Origins And Evolution Of The Forests, Climate, And Hydrology Of The South American Tropics, P. A. Baker, S. C. Fritz, C. G. Silva, C. A. Rigsby, M. L. Absy, R. P. Almeida, M. Caputo, C. M. Chiessi, F. W. Cruz, C. W. Dick, S. J. Feakins, J. Figueiredo, K. H. Freeman, C. Hoorn, C. Jaramillo, A. K. Kern, E. M. Latrubesse, M. P. Ledru, A. Marzoli, A. Myrbo, A. Noren, W. E. Piller, M. I. F. Ramos, C. C. Ribas, R. Trnadade, A. J. West, I. Wahnfried, D. A. Willard

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

This article presents the scientific rationale for an ambitious ICDP drilling project to continuously sample Late Cretaceous to modern sediment in four different sedimentary basins that transect the equatorial Amazon of Brazil, from the Andean foreland to the Atlantic Ocean. The goals of this project are to document the evolution of plant biodiversity in the Amazon forests and to relate biotic diversification to changes in the physical environment, including climate, tectonism, and the surface landscape. These goals require long sedimentary records from each of the major sedimentary basins across the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, which can only be obtained …

Temporal And Spatial Variability In Dune Reactivation Across The Nebraska Sand Hills, Usa, Rebecca L. Schmeisser Mckean, Ronald J. Goble, Joseph B. Mason, James Swinehart, David B. Loope

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Nebraska Sand Hills is a stabilized dune field on the Great Plains of North America. Although it is well known that this dune field, like several others on the Great Plains, last experienced widespread activity during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA, ~AD 900–1300), spatial variation in the timing and nature of drought development is poorly constrained. To elucidate spatial trends in dune reactivation, samples potentially representing MCA activity across the Sand Hills were collected and dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Ages from the older part of the MCA were obtained from eolian sediments in the northwestern Sand Hills, …